What Is Social Media?

Social media are web-based technologies which allow the generation or sharing/ exchange of ideas, interests, opinions, and other types of expression through online social networks and virtual communities. Social networking can be described as a web based tool for interacting with others using various communication systems such as emails, chat rooms, instant messaging systems, blogs, and social networking websites. Social Media generally refers to any web-based tool that allows interaction with others, either by publishing your own content or by getting feedback from others. Social media provides a platform for people to develop and share ideas and content, form relationships, and create a group of contacts. In addition, it also provides the means by which users can endorse and market their products and services through blogging, bookmarking, and social bookmarking, while news is shared through Twitter, Facebook, Digg, StumbleUpon and other social media sites.

Social media have become an important part of our everyday communication and is penetrating into all aspects of our lives. We see people building relationships with each other on MySpace and other popular social networks, we listen to music and watch videos on YouTube and other video-sharing websites, and we interact with others through blogs, discussion forums, message boards, and online forums. We also engage in many of the activities that are associated with interacting with other individuals, including shopping, eating, taking pictures, sharing photos, and searching the Internet. Social media have opened up new ways of connecting with others and developing relationships with individuals around the world. While this is a wonderful development, social networks have come under fire recently for some reason.

Advertisers have been banned from some of these platforms because they have placed cookies in the browser of the user logging onto the site. When this cookie is placed on the user’s browser, it enables the advertiser to track their Internet browsing history and to deliver targeted advertising to them when they return to that same website. The concern over the use of cookies has led to companies developing a different type of social networking platform that does not use cookies, which poses a different set of concerns. The new platform does not require users to agree to or accept cookies, does not collect personal information, does not allow advertisers to track their Internet browsing history, and provides more control over who can advertise on the site.