Social media networking is communicating and interacting with people online through websites or software, often around shared interests, relationships, or communities. The phrase combines two related ideas: social networking is the activity, while social media is the broader category of services that can support it.
What does social media networking mean?
In everyday use, social media networking means using an internet service to communicate with other people and take part in social connections or communities. Those connections may be based on existing relationships, shared interests, or a common activity.
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The term can also be understood through the features of a social network site. In a scholarly definition by danah m. boyd and Nicole B. Ellison, such a site lets people create profiles within a bounded system, articulate connections with other users, and view or navigate those connections. The authors note that the nature and naming of those connections can differ from one site to another.
How are social media and social networking different?
| Term | What it refers to | Example of how it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Social media | The broad category of websites and software used for online social interaction. | A service or app that lets people communicate or share within a community. |
| Social networking | The activity of communicating with people online, often around shared interests or relationships. | Keeping in touch with acquaintances or connecting with people who share an interest. |
| Social network site | A service organized around user profiles and visible connections. | A site where users can see and navigate links between profiles. |
Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines social networking as “communication with people who share your interests using a website or other service on the internet.” This describes the activity; it does not mean every person using a social media service is deliberately trying to make new contacts.
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Does social networking mean meeting strangers?
Not necessarily. The word “networking” can suggest seeking out unfamiliar people, but boyd and Ellison point out that users often make existing social networks visible and communicate with people already in their extended networks. A visible connection also need not mean a close friendship: people may use different labels and maintain different kinds of ties.
Depending on the service and the person, social networking may involve maintaining existing relationships, participating in a shared-interest community, or initiating new relationships. These purposes can overlap, and none applies to every user or platform.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why do definitions and usage figures vary?
Platforms and common examples change, so surveys may define or describe social networking differently over time. Pew Research Center’s retrospective survey report notes that its question wording changed as the landscape changed: its examples included Friendster and LinkedIn in 2005, while a July 2015 version referred to Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
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For historical context, Pew reported that 65% of U.S. adults used social networking sites in 2015. That figure is not a current adoption rate. The report compiled 27 surveys conducted from March 2005 to July 2015, involving about 47,000 interviews among adult internet users and about 62,000 interviews among all adults; its figures should be read in the context of their dates and survey definitions.
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