An introductory presentation for a course titled, "Social Media for Social Change" at the University of Maryland. This presentation is intended for a broad audience - from lay people to experts. It discusses the theory behind what makes social media work.

1. What is Social Media?
From Theoretical Foundations to User Created Content
Social Media for Social Change (UNIV 389s)
Beyond the Classroom Living-Learning Program
Spring 2012

2. Social Media!?!?!
What is the first thing that pops in to
your head when you hear the words
“social media?”
Graphic courtesy Bosmol.com.

3. Daunting…Unclear…EVERchanging…
•Difficult to find resources, books, definitions.
•Establish an understanding of the term for this course.
(Graphic courtesy Technorati.com).

4. Social Media is Permeating our Lives
 1969: Tinker vs. Des Moines
 Supreme Court rules in favor of students who want to wear black
arm bands to protest the Vietnam War.
 Declared a freedom of speech issue.
 So what…?
 Same justification for rejecting to hear social media related cases.
 Students who talked about teachers, peers online
 Student who created a faux MySpace account for a teacher
Kravets, D. (Jan. 17, 2012). Wired.com.

5.  “A good way to think about social media is that all of this is
actually just about being human beings. Sharing ideas,
cooperating and collaborating to create art, thinking and
commerce, vigorous debate and discourse, finding people
who might be good friends, allies and lovers – it’s what our
species has built several civilisations on. that’s why it is
spreading so quickly, not because it’s great shiny, whizzy new
technology, but because it lets us be ourselves – only more
so.”
 Antony Mayfield
 What is Social Media (2008), p. 7

6.  “A group of internet applications that build on the ideological
and technological foundations of Web 2.0 , and that allow the
creation and exchange of user generated content.”
 Kaplan & Haenlein
 Users of the World Unite! (2009), p. 61.
 Web 2.0?
 User Generated Content?

7. User Generated Content
…or user created content
 “Sum of all ways people make use of social media”
 3 Requirements
1. Published publicly (can include social networking site available to a
select group)
2. Shows some form of creative effort
3. Created outside professional routines
 Is NOT:
1. Emails or instant messages
2. Reposted content
3. Content targeted at a commercial market
Source: Kaplan and Hanlaen (2009), OECD(2007)

8. Web 1.0…2.0…3.0? 2.0
 The “Social Web”
 A shift in the way technology is
used
 Content and applications are no
longer created by individuals
(static), but constantly modified by
all users (changing)
 Enabled by technology and users:
 Java, RSS, broadband
 “Digital Natives” and
“Screenagers”
Sources: Mansfiield (2012), Rigby (2009), Kaplan & Haenlein (2009)

9. Two Sets of Theory
Media Research Social Process
Social Presence Self-
Media Richness Presentation
Self-Disclosure

10. Media Research: Social Presence
Intimacy and Immediacy
INTIMACY: IMMEDIACY:
HIGH HIGH Higher social
• Interpersonal –
Face to Face
• Synchronous –
Live Chat
presence =
Chat LARGER
SOCIAL
INTIMACY: IMMEDIACY: INFLUENCE
LOW LOW
• Mediated – • Asynchronous
Phone Call – Email

11. Demonstration
Email from a woman to her partner
Hi,
You have been working late a lot lately. Can
you PLEASE make an effort to come home a
bit earlier? I would like to spend more time
with you.
B
 Intimate?
 Immediate?

12. Media Research: Media Richness
Resolve
ambiguity
COMMUNICATION
Reduce
Uncertainty
Richer = more information in a time interval
(because this allows resolution of ambiguity and
reduction of uncertainly.

13. Social Process Theory
Self Presentation Self Disclosure
 In any social interaction  Conscious or unconscious
revelation of personal
 Desire to control information
impressions
 Influence others (cool
babysitter)
 Create image consistent
with identity (wear suit)

14. Bringing it All Together: Theory
Social Presence / Media Richness
Low Medium High
Self Virtual Social
Presentation/ High Blogs Social Networking Worlds
Self (Second Life)
Disclosure
Content
Virtual Game World
Low Wikis Communities
(World of Warcraft)
(YouTube)