what is social media?

Started by computer science students at Harvard University. One of the features of Facebook is that anyone is able to make an app and upload it. It is being made into a film, The Social Network, which will be released in 2010.

Myspace was started in 2003 and is more focused on music. It was bought by Rupert Murdoch for $580 million.

•Can vary hugely in content•Allow comments and RSS subscription•Many types including personal, political and mainstream media such as the BBC

•Communal document or database that allows people to add or edit content•Huge gathering of information•Accessible by everyone•First one created by Ward Cunningham, WikiWikiWeb•Wikipedia is the most popular

Increase in popularity helped by the increased availability of personal video recorders and software

•Discussion board, usually centred on a topic.

•Often built into websites

•They were around long before the term ‘social media’

•Content communities are similar to social networks, but are focused on a particular type of content, such as video or photos.•Popular content communities include Youtube (video), Flickr (photo) and del.icio.us (links).

•Microblogging combines elements of blogging, instant messaging and social networks•It allows the user to add brief updates using text or images that can be viewed by everyone or just a chosen group•The most popular site is Twitter

Antony Mayfield believes that social media is:

“Actually just about being human beings”

And that it is people simply looking for…

“Friends, allies and lovers.”