Social Media
Social Media are primarily Internet-based tools for sharing and discussing information with other people. The term most often refers to activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos and audio. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning among communities, as people share their stories and experiences. – Wikipedia (What better source than one formulated by the web-based community itself?)
Social Network Sites
Boyd and Ellison (2007) define social network sites as “web-based services that allow individuals to
(1) construct a public or semi-public profile within a bounded system,
(2) articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and
(3) view and traverse their list of connections and those made by others within the system.”
Blogs
Weblogs (or blogs) are a type of online diary that the blog’s owner updates with commentaries, description of events, graphics or videos.
Today, many examples of SNSs exist, including Facebook, Myspace and micro-blogging site Twitter. Likewise, WordPress and Blogger are popular blog-hosting platforms.
References:
boyd, d. m., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), article 11. http:// jcmc.indiana.edu/vol13/issue1/boyd.ellison.html
