Social Media

The term social media commonly refers to forms of digital communication technologies that allow users to create personalized networks, share information and knowledge, and collectively solve problems. While traditional mass media offer a one-way form of communication, from the sender to the receiver, social media facilitate a two-way form of communication that encourages interactivity. Social media allow users to become active producers of media by enabling activities such as documenting and sharing experiences and selecting and rating information that they find relevant. Social media tend to be a defining characteristic for Web 2.0. Web 2.0 refers to the many ways in which individuals control the flow of information or produce information on the Internet. Social media are distinguished by the activities in which they allow users to engage. Types of social media include blogs (Blogger, WordPress), social networking sites (Myspace, LinkedIn, Facebook), social news sites (Digg, Reddit), and location-based social media (FourSquare). The availability of smart phones, which allow users to access the Internet from mobile communication devices, has accelerated the adoption of social media.

Social media are used for both personal and commercial purposes and have had a significant impact on many aspects of social, political, and economic life. Socially, social media provide opportunities for people to keep in touch and create personalized networks to share information. Politically, social media have been integrated into the democratic process, not only by providing increased opportunities for politicians to keep in touch with their constituents but also by increasing access of citizens to politicians. Economically, social media have led to the creation of new jobs and have expanded opportunities for businesses to market information about their products to potential customers. While many celebrate social media for their ability to democratize information, encouraging participation among citizens, researchers warn that it is important to be cautious and critical of social media, especially regarding their implications for privacy (the protection of personal information), negative social behaviors (such as cyberbullying and hate speech), and the trend toward commercialization and consolidation.