Social Media

Social media platforms allow users to communicate informally with others, find people and share similar interests. Facebook is the most popular platform in the world, owned by Meta, which also owns WhatsApp, Messenger and Instagram. WeChat and TikTok are Chinese platforms that are also popular.

The USA and Chinese platforms dominate social media usage worldwide. Data and power are concentrated in just a few countries and corporations.

Social media platforms have led to increases in cyberbullying, social anxiety, depression and abuse, as well as social engineering, spread of misinformation and issues with control of digital identity, privacy and transparency.

False news can spread quickly, aided by algorithms that amplify popular content. Algorithms also contribute to bias, racism and polarisation.

Businesses use social media to generate insights, stimulate demand and create targeted offers. In the workplace social media is used to share knowledge, for project management, training, recruitment and information transfer.