Social Media

social media is a computer-based technology that facilitates sharing of ideas, thoughts, and information through virtual networks and communities. There are multiple social network sites including Facebook, Whatsapp, Instagram Twitter, etc. These social media platforms have made the transmission of knowledge fast and convenient and treasure troves of information are available on the one click of a button on a digital device, be it a computer or a smartphone. though the phenomenon started some 2 decades ago in 1997, with six degrees by Andrew Weinrich, it has cast a lasting impact on our daily lives .besides the many advantages of social media has been introduced to this world in the 21st century, it has taken its toll on some of our lives especially teaching English language, social media has eased language learning but, at the same time, it has also adversely affected the writing skills. young students are prone to the usage of slang, abbreviations, and irregular sentence structure as they need to keep pace with quick conversations on social networks will induce short forms of words and slang. this habit is reflected in their write-ups as well and the task of a language teacher increases manifold due to the impact of social media social media are interactive web 2.0 internet-based applications.

HISTORY OF SOCIAL MEDIA

In 1991, when Tim Berner-Lee integrated hypertext software with the Internet, he created the world wide web, marking the beginning of the modern era of networked communication. this breakthrough facilitated the formation of online communities and enabled support for offline groups through the use of weblogs, list servers, and email services. the evolution of online services progressed from serving as channels for networked communication to becoming interactive platforms for networked social interaction with the advent of Web 2.0. social media started in the mid of 1990s message forums migrated to the web, becoming internet forums, primarily due to cheaper per-person access as well as the ability to handle far more people simultaneously than telco modern banks. in 1993, CMOS sensors enabled the mass proliferation of digital cameras and camera phones, which bolstered the rise of social media.

DEVELOPMENT OF SOCIAL MEDIA

In 1991, when Tim Berners-Lee integrated hypertext software with the Internet, he created the World Wide Web, marking the beginning of the modern era of networked communication. In the early 2000s, social media platforms gained widespread popularity with the likes of Friendster and Myspace, followed by Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, among others.

Research from 2015 shows that the world spent 22% of their online time on social networks, thus suggesting the popularity of social media platforms, is likely fueled by the widespread adoption of smartphones. There are as many as 4.76 billion social media users in the world as of January 2023, equating to 59.4% of the total global population. The idea that social media are defined simply by their ability to bring people together has been seen as too broad, as this would suggest that fundamentally different technologies like the telegraph and telephone are also social media. The terminology is unclear, with some early researchers referring to social media as social networks or social networking services in the mid-2000s. A more recent paper from 2015 reviewed the prominent literature in the area and identified four common features unique to then-current social media services;

Web 2.0 Internet-based applications.

User-generated content

User-created self profiles

The social network is formed by connections between profiles, such as followers or groups.

social media have their own advantages and disadvantages so we should use it wisely.