Social media refers to online platforms where users can share information and connect with virtual communities through text, video, photos, and other content. As of 2024, social media had more than five billion global users, which is equal to more than 62% of the world population.1

This includes apps or websites designed for messaging and chat, social platforms (like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok), and community forums, such as Reddit and Discord Social media is made up of websites, apps, and other platforms that allow users to share information and ideas with virtual communities through text, photos, videos, and more.
It is used by more than five billion people globally for personal and professional reasons.
Social media has been credited with connecting users, allowing for the building of community and sharing of important information.
Critics say social media damages adolescents' mental health, facilitates misinformation, and increases opportunities for child sexual abuse.
The largest social media platforms are Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, Instagram, and TikTok.

Origins and Evolution of Social MediaEarly social media platforms, such as MySpace and LiveJournal, were designed for people to connect with friends and family. MySpace, which allowed users to create personal profile pages and share information about themselves, became the first network to reach one million active monthly users in 2004.2

LiveJournal, a platform where users could share journal-like entries with either public or private networks, reached over 2.5 million active accounts in 2005.3

Social media use grew rapidly in the 2000s and early 2010s as Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) became popular. Facebook was like MySpace, with users creating individual profiles to share information about themselves, while other users could leave comments on those profiles. Initially used for socializing among college-age users, social media became popular with younger and older users.

In 2006, X's launch included its "feed" feature, where posts from accounts that a user followed were aggregated onto a single page.4

Facebook launched its own News Feed feature.5

The news feed became a standard feature for many social media platforms. More users began posting links to external sites, where news stories, current events, and product pages could be shared with personal updates. Users could interact with each other's content, including liking, sharing, and commenting on posts.

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