What is Social Media?

What is social media? Social media This word today needs no introduction. Children of today's generation are also aware of social media. The word social means to be social and the word media means a medium of information. We connect with the whole world through the Internet and various types of applications, such mediums are called social media.

What is social media?

Social media is the most effective means of communication and contact. A website or application through which you can stay in touch with people through the Internet. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn are some of the effective mediums of social media. Any person can use them by opening their account on these social media platforms.

Today's era is the age of social media. We can connect with the whole world through an application from our mobile phone. Communication and interaction were never so simple. Let us know what is a social media application?

How many types of social media are there?

Today, in this age of the internet, the whole world has been reduced to a small mobile phone of yours. There are many applications through which you feel connected to the world. Whether you have any news about yourself or any breaking news from any corner of the world, you get it in a few minutes. Whether to talk to someone or to meet someone has become possible through WhatsApp calls and video calls. Let us know about such social media applications which are most popular:

1) Facebook: 

Facebook was started in the year 2004. Today Facebook is the largest and most popular social media application in the world. A total of 2.89 billion people use Facebook from all over the world. India has the largest number of users on Facebook.

• India has the largest number of users of Facebook in the world.
• On average, every Facebook user uses Facebook for a minimum of 1 hour a day.
• 98% of people use Facebook from mobile.
• More than 2.276 billion people can be reached through Facebook marketing, of which 43 percent are women and 57% are men.

2) WhatsApp: 

WhatsApp was started in the year 2009. Soon it became the most popular app. Through WhatsApp group, people easily keep in touch with each other. Today 2+ billion people use WhatsApp all over the world. In 2014, Facebook bought WhatsApp.

3) Twitter:

Twitter was launched in the year 2006. The popularity of this app can be gauged from the fact that many big celebrities of the world use it. Through this app, you can reach your point of view to as many people as possible in minimum words. 

4) Instagram: 

Instagram is a photo sharing app. Instagram started in the year 2010 and today it is the most used application. On this app, you connect with the world not through your words but through beautiful pictures and photos, this is a big reason for its popularity. More than 1.3 billion people use this application around the world.

5) YouTube:

Everyone knows about YouTube. YouTube started as a video sharing platform. Today YouTube has become the most prominent means of entertainment on the Internet. More than 2.25 billion people use it. 

Through YouTube, many people are making their own channel and earning money sitting at home.

6) LinkedIn:

The LinkedIn platform was created for professional and business people. Whether searching for jobs or expanding their business, people connect through this platform and take advantage of it. This platform is very popular among professionals.

Apart from this, platforms like Snapchat, Tiktok and Messenger and Pinterest are popular social media platforms.

Some facts related to social media:

• The number of users of social media is more than 5 billion worldwide.
• More than 60 percent of the world's population is connected to social media.
• Every year the number of people using social media increases by 13 percent.
• 99% of the people who use social media use it through mobile phones.
• On an average, every person spends 2+ hours on social media every day.

Benefits of social media

The 19th century will be remembered for the Internet and computers. The invention of computers and its use changed the face of the world. After that, the Internet started and as the Internet spread in the world, the world kept on shrinking. Mobile phones brought revolutionary changes at the beginning of the 21st century. The users of mobile phones went on increasing and so did the use of the internet. Mobile phones have now become smartphones and with that social media also started.

Social media has become a necessity in today's era. Such a situation has arisen whether the person has a bank account or not, but there will definitely be a social media account. There is a phone in every hand and everyone is busy on social media. Common belief Social media only wastes time but is not the whole truth. There are many benefits of social media.

Understand the importance of social media in 10 points:

1. You can stay in touch with the world sitting at home. Through Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, all the news of loved ones and the world reaches us within minutes.
2. Any news or event can be analyzed closely. Information on any topic is rapidly available from many sources. More information proves helpful in understanding the topic.
3. For those who are eager to present their talent in front of the world but are missing due to lack of proper opportunity, social media is nothing less than a boon for them. Sitting at home, you can make the world aware of your talent. Today there is no other platform bigger than social media.
4. Today's politics is also not untouched by the influence of social media. Political parties are spending more of their time on social media management. Especially there is no greater medium than this to connect and communicate with the younger generation.
5. The importance of social media can be understood from the fact that today more than 70 percent of the world's population is connected to social media in some way or the other. 9 out of every 10 people on the Internet are connected to social media. A total of more than 5 billion people use social media. Click for more details Digital Around The world
6. Today social media is not just a means of entertainment. Today people are also doing online business sitting at home through YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Marketing companies are also making full use of social media. There is no easier way than this to reach directly to the home of the people.
7. Today, free expression is also being encouraged through social media. People from any corner of the world have been able to express their views without any hesitation. It has become easy to spread awareness on any topic. One button on your mobile can make your idea viral overnight.
8. It has become easy to make people aware on social issues. Through social media, a consensus can be built among the people on these important issues in less resources. Massive change through a campaign is easier said than done.
9. Branding and marketing has become simple through social media. Such traders who do not have the means, they can present their goods in front of the world sitting at home. Social media has become a strong platform from the point of view of marketing.
10. Social media is proving to be very beneficial for bloggers and YouTubers. Such people can directly contact the community related to their subject through social media and increase organic traffic on their website and YouTube channel.

Impact of Social Media on adolescence

By the way, in today's time, every person is connected with social media. But social media is more popular among the youth. Today's youth feel more connected with social media. Perhaps they have become such a mindset that they feel connected to the country and the world only by connecting to social media. The effects of social media on adolescents are both positive and negative. Understand both the boon and curse of social media regarding the younger generation:

Positive Effect of Social Media

1) Fostering a social spirit

Social skills are being promoted among the younger generation through social media. Today's youth are making full use of social media to connect with each other. Be it a community page on Facebook or a family group on WhatsApp, social media is playing a big role in keeping today's youth social.

2) Medium of free expression

Social media today has become a powerful medium of free expression. Especially the younger generation does not hesitate to express their views through social platforms. And they seem more comfortable on social media than any other medium.

3) Medium of information

Be it learning new technology or any news of the country and the world, the young generation keeps themselves updated through social media. He has information on every subject and also his views.

4) A means of entertainment

Social media has become a source of entertainment for today's youth. Be it Facebook video or TikTok clipping, social media has become a major means of entertainment for the youth. In the absence of social media, whether it is Twitter trolling or WhatsApp sharing, youth today cannot even imagine entertainment.

5) Development of skill potential

Today's youth are also developing their knowledge and skill potential through social media. Social media is as if for them the whole world has been limited to a smartphone. Young people are easily increasing their skill capacity according to their subject and interest.

Negative Effect of Social Media

1) Cyber ​​Fraud

The younger generation is also becoming a victim of online fraud and cyberbullying through social media. According to research, 21 percent of the youth of 10 to 18 years who are registered on social media have been victims of cyberbullying and fraud.

2) Irrelevant or illegal content

Due to social media and the internet, Irrelevant material is easily available to the younger generation. This type of illegal content gives rise to a negative personality within the youth.

3) Depression and loneliness

Most of the youth who spend more time on social media become victims of depression. Sharing every information on social media, being anxious about people's comments and likes, feeling lonely in the absence of social media creates a state of depression.

4) Weak Personality

Young people spend most of their time making their presence felt on social media. Due to which his mental condition is going away from the real lifestyle. This is affecting the personality of the youth. Where pretentiousness is encouraged and the lack of ideas is clearly visible.

5) Waste of Time

Social media is an effective medium to keep in touch with each other, but it is also important to keep in mind how much time is spent on social media. The young generation is spending more time on social media trolling, sharing, and comments.

Conclusion

From the above information, we tried to understand what is social media? What are the benefits of social media? And how social media is affecting the younger generation. Of course, social media is no less than a boon for today's era, but we should also understand its negative aspects. The younger generation is more attracted towards social media. We should also keep in mind that our youth are avoiding the negative aspects of this medium.

Hope you liked this article What is Social Media.