ABSTRACT
Many forms of media have a social element, so the term “social media” can be somewhat limiting. Today, people use the term to refer to a wide range of platforms, such as Twitch, Reddit, YouTube, and Tik Tok. This chapter begins by defining social media in the conventional way, by categorizing platforms based on their functionality. However, it argues that this approach may not be the most effective, and instead offers a theory-driven approach that focuses on the communication characteristics of social media. The chapter ends with an overview of the scope of social media.
