What is your interpretation of the term ‘social media’? What have you learned from the Sensis reports? Include 2 or 3 references from academic sources.

The term ‘social media’ can be interpreted in a myriad of ways; some use the term rather restrictively, to describe interpersonal relations on social networking platforms such as Facebook and Instagram, while others may define it as broadly as the socialisation aspects of websites, like blogs and news sites, in general (Hunsinger & Senft 2013).

With the growing amount of online businesses and influencers these days, it is natural to view social media simply as a marketing tool, with success measured almost entirely by profits or popularity, but it is much more than that. It is also a tool for communication. As Baruah (2012) aptly puts it: “The inherit definition of social media is grounded in its ability to support interactive dialogue across various media platforms.”

Similarly, according to Brauns & Bahnisch (cited in Hunsinger & Senft 2013), social media is a collective of networked information services that support in-depth social interaction, community formation, collaborative opportunities, and collaborative work.

An example of such community formation can be found in the Sensis report, which states that over a third of social media users support or contribute to issues or events through the medium, as it is not only a convenient way to show support and passion but also a handy way to get their voices heard.

To add on, one of the top reasons audiences use both social media and traditional media is to keep up to date on news and current affairs (Sensis 2018). And with community formation through social media comes about the ability to pinpoint and evade fake news – something that is prevalent in today’s society – more easily. Precautionary steps like vetting the source’s credibility, fact-checking, and consulting professionals are made more accessible and straightforward, as compared to traditional media, which resembles a hypodermic needle, whereby ideas and thoughts are easily injected into the unsuspecting minds of the audience.

With all that being said, social media, to me, is an ever-growing and ever-changing two-way online conversation that connects like-minded individuals, facilitates discussions, promotes awareness.

Word count: 330 words.

References:
Baruah, T.D 2012, ‘Effectiveness of social media as a tool of communication and its potential for technology enabled connections: A micro-level study’, International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, vol. 2, no. 5, pp. 1-10.

Hunsinger & Senft, 2013, *The Social Media Handbook*, pp. 1.

Sensis, 2018, ‘Part One – Consumers’, Yellow Social Media Report, pp.5.