I See Social Media Everywhere

Social media, and its resultant by-product of social networking, seamlessly integrated themselves into our lives in as much that both concepts have become synonymous. Nevertheless, there resides a difference even if that difference is miniscule. Painting with broad strokes, social media can simply be defined as “web-based communication tools that enable people to interact with each other by both sharing and consuming information” (Nations, n.d.). The difference between social media and social networking then stems directly from the words preceding “social” whereby social media refers to a mediated form of interactive communications via non-traditional mediums (although those non-traditional mediums are becoming the standard) and social networking, sub-categorically, denotes the employment of social media to address an audience in an attempt to establish a relationship.

The global dominating force of social media networking remains Facebook, with its 1.13 billion monthly users (Facebook, n.d.). The most successful non-U.S. based social media networking platforms, defined by both active user accounts and new monthly subscriptions, are, in part, based on the successful model established by Facebook. While Facebook possesses a global virtual supremacy, regional competition continues to challenge that status.

The three largest non-U.S.-based social media networks - Ozone, VK, and Odnoklassniki (French & Shaw, 2016) - demonstrate the status quo challenge stemming from regional upstarts. In China, Qzone, with its 652 million users (Statista, 2016), enables individuals to “blogs, keep diaries, send photos, listen to music, and watch videos…However, most Qzone accessories are not free; only after buying the "Canary Yellow Diamond" can users access every service without paying extra” (Wikipedia, 2016).  VK, properly known as V Kontakte, claims 100 million users (Statista, 2016) and is purported to be “the largest European online social networking service… allow(ing) users to message each other publicly or privately, to create groups, public pages and events, share and tag images, audio and video, and to play browser-based games” (Wikipedia, 2016). Odnoklassnki describes itself as a “social network service for classmates and old friends…popular in Russia and former Soviet Republics” (Wikipedia, 2016).

Culturally-specific social media networks are having an impact in connecting people as well.  For example, MyMFB, or My Muslim Friends Book, is a Muslim alternative to Facebook aimed at connecting the faith’s 1.5 billion plus followers into a single platform (Milanovic, 2015). Facenama, is the ninth most popular website in Iran but, even though Facebook is banned, 58% of Iranians still utilize the American-based service (Jafari, 2015). Another trend worth noting that breaks from “networking” is the aggressive growth of instant messaging applications such WhatsApp, QQ, and WeChat. Individuals certainly reap numerous benefits incipient of this instantaneous connection-driven movement but all of this interaction also comes with a cost to the user.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management, some of the advantages made available via social media networking include open communication, business expansion targeting both consumers and potential employees, and a minimization of advertising capital (Society for Human Resource Mangement, 2012). In addition to global connectivity, social networking enhances educational undertakings, raises awareness for causes, and even assists law enforcement in the pursuit of security objectives. Conversely, some of the disadvantages include the malicious compromise of information, loss of individual productivity, and general misuse (Society for Human Resource Mangement, 2012). Social media networks have negatively produced cyberbullying, health problems including addictive behavior, enabled violations of personal relationship, and even sensationalized unhealthy lifestyles. Invasion of privacy lingers at the forefront of consequential concerns.

Most Americans place incursions into personal privacy as their paramount apprehension. From a commercial perspective, 61% of Americans strongly disagree with the notion that increased access to personal information increases the efficiency of online services (Madden, 2014)). Simply put, people feel reticent when engaging in online endeavors even if only from a generational perspective. Certain digital footprints, particularly personal identifiable information, should be carefully guarded by both the user and the medium receiving the input. Passwords/PINS, social security numbers, and credit card numbers should never be shared. Ultimately, just like the real world, the virtual world offers many pleasures and distractions. By exercising moderation and employing basic risk management principles you will maximize your experience.

Reference List

Facebook. (n.d.). Company Info. Retrieved from Facebook Newsroom: http://newsroom.fb.com/company-info/

French, S., & Shaw, J. M. (2016). The No. 1 Social Network by Country isn’t Always Facebook. Retrieved from MarketWatch: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-no-1-social-network-in-every-country-in-the-world-2016-02-18

Jafari, H. (2015). Even Our President Is More Social Than You! Retrieved from Techrasa.com: http://techrasa.com/2015/08/30/iran-even-president-digs-social-media/

Madden, M. (2014). Public Perceptions of Privacy and Security in the Post-Snowden Era. Retrieved from Pew Research Center: http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/11/12/public-privacy-perceptions/

Milanovic, R. (2015). The World's 21 Most Important Social Media Sites and Apps in 2015. Retrieved from Social Media Today: http://www.socialmediatoday.com/social-networks/2015-04-13/worlds-21-most-important-social-media-sites-and-apps-2015

Nations, D. (n.d.). What Is Social Media? Explaining the Big Trend. Retrieved from About.com: http://webtrends.about.com/od/web20/a/social-media.htm

Society for Human Resource Mangement. (2012). Social Media: What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Social Networking Sites? What Should We Include in a Policy? Retrieved from SHRM.org: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/tools-and-samples/hr-qa/pages/socialnetworkingsitespolicy.aspx

Statista. (2016). Leading Social Networks Worldwide as of September 2016, Ranked by Number of Active Users (in Millions). Retrieved from Statista: https://www.statista.com/statistics/272014/global-social-networks-ranked-by-number-of-users/

Wikipedia. (2016). Odnoklassniki. Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Odnoklassniki

Wikipedia. (2016). Qzone. Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qzone

Wikipedia. (2016). VK (social networking). Retrieved from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VK_(social_networking)