Short Definition
Online platforms that enable users to create, share, and interact with content and communities. Popular examples include Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok, which facilitate communication, networking, and content dissemination.
Relevance
Social media serves as both a risk and an opportunity for community building. While it can perpetuate exploitation and surveillance, it also offers essential spaces for community building and advocacy. It’s critical to understand both its potential and its limitations. Users can harness these platforms to connect, educate, and disseminate knowledge, even as they remain aware of the platform’s shortcomings in privacy and control. Leveraging these imperfect tools allows for critical engagement while demanding better systems.