Explanation
Social media refers to internet-based platforms that allow users to communicate, share content, build networks, and participate in digital communities. Examples include platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Reddit, X/Twitter, Facebook, and Discord.
Social media has transformed communication, identity formation, political participation, entertainment, and social interaction. Algorithms increasingly shape visibility, attention, and the circulation of information.
In sociology and criminology, social media is studied in relation to:
- digital subcultures,
- moral panics,
- online radicalization,
- surveillance,
- identity construction,
- crime communication,
- and cybercrime.
Researchers also examine how social media influences self-presentation, body norms, polarization, misinformation, and public discourse.
Theoretical Reference
Social media is associated with digital sociology, media studies, surveillance studies, identity theory, cultural criminology, and communication studies.