In this blog post, we’ll explore whether social media is a spark of revolution or a tool for witch hunts.
Some time ago, Blackpink member Rosé’s song “A.P.T.” topped the Billboard charts. It was a historic moment for a Korean artist to reach number one on the Billboard charts with a song in Korean, and it was social media that made this possible. Even without citing Rosé’s example, the influence of social media is already readily apparent in our daily lives. During election season, politicians pay close attention to social media, and when monsoons or typhoons strike, citizens use social media to share information about natural disasters. Given the immense influence social media exerts, living without a proper understanding of it is like building a house while missing a crucial tool. So, what exactly is social media?
First, “SNS” stands for Social Networking Service. Simply put, it is a service that helps people build social networks. In layman’s terms, it is a general term for services that allow people to engage in social activities via the internet. The people with whom you interact can be a wide range of strangers you meet for the first time online, or acquaintances and friends you already know in person. Since the term “SNS” first emerged after the launch of Twitter and Facebook, in a narrow sense, it refers to services similar to these platforms. However, in a broader sense, it is possible to include all services that facilitate communication with others—such as blogs and other online communities—under the umbrella of SNS. To understand social media more accurately, we need to know when and how it began.
As mentioned above, Twitter and Facebook were described as the starting point of social media. However, while these two platforms were the catalyst for the coining of the term “social media,” the actual concept of social media can be traced back to the very early days of the internet. It was only natural that communities were created from the very beginning of the internet to satisfy users’ desire for communication, and this is when social media in the broad sense began. In South Korea, various online communities from the PC communication era—such as Cheonri-an, Now-nuri, and Hitel—are examples of this.
Social media in the narrow sense began slightly later than the broader concept mentioned earlier. Representative examples include online alumni services; services like Da-moim and I Love School, which appeared in the late 1990s, fall into this category. Students attending the same school could meet and chat through these services, and they gained massive popularity because they allowed users to find old classmates they had lost touch with. These alumni services later served as a valuable inspiration for the creation of Cyworld and Facebook.
Then, in the early 2000s, the era of social media truly began as Cyworld’s “Mini-Homepage” service launched in Korea and MySpace gained popularity abroad. Following this, with the emergence of Facebook and Twitter, the term “social media” became firmly established and gained its current global popularity. There are now a wide variety of social media services available, and I will introduce some of the most representative ones by category.
First, there are services that prioritize networking, led by Facebook. In Korea, a prime example is Cyworld, while internationally, there is MySpace—which launched before Facebook but has since lost its leading position—and Google Plus, which started as a latecomer. The primary purpose of these services is, quite literally, to expand one’s network and strengthen relationships with others. Users typically upload a photo of themselves and create a profile, which is then used to find people. Common search criteria include high school, college, and current workplace. The main feature involves communicating with friends found through these means by sharing photos and videos. Additionally, there are features that allow users to create clubs based on shared interests, such as academic departments or student organizations, and these clubs are integrated with the community features mentioned earlier. Beyond that, various services like calendars and social games are provided alongside the main community features.
Second, there is the microblogging format, represented by Twitter. Before discussing microblogging, it is essential to understand what a blog is. Simply put, a blog can be described as a personal online media platform.
Individuals freely post information and opinions about their interests, and these posts are indexed by search engines, thereby building a readership. A microblog is a character-limited version of the blog described here. For example, Twitter currently limits posts to 140 characters. Video or image tags are not allowed; if users wish to include them, they must provide a link instead of uploading the content directly. This character limit is in place to facilitate integration with mobile text messaging services. Most microblogging platforms offer services linked to mobile phones, allowing users to receive new posts directly on their phones in real time. Unlike blogs, which provide detailed and diverse information, microblogs tend to feature brief updates, casual chatter, and personal anecdotes due to the character limit. Unlike blogs, which primarily rely on search engines to build an audience, microblogs offer alternative ways to become a follower, the most notable being Twitter’s “follow” feature. Simply put, if you follow someone you’re interested in, you’ll receive all the posts they upload. In Korea, microblogs such as Me2day and Yozm emerged after Twitter, and while they differ slightly, they provide services with basic functions very similar to Twitter.
In addition, various other forms of social media are emerging, either incorporating the strengths of other services or taking the form of services specialized for specific purposes. For example, Tumblr is a blog-style service that incorporates the strengths of Twitter by allowing users to follow others, resulting in a hybrid form between a blog and a microblog. An example of a service specialized for a specific purpose is LinkedIn in the United States. LinkedIn is a social network that emphasizes connections, similar to Facebook, but it is designed for the specific purpose of building professional networks. Unlike on Facebook, users must create detailed profiles comparable to a resume, which are then used for recruitment, job hunting, and hiring. Consequently, LinkedIn’s primary users are business professionals and job seekers. In Korea, there are services modeled after LinkedIn, such as LinkNow and Who’s Line.
Now, let’s examine the impact social media is having on our society. The event that most clearly demonstrated the reach and influence of social media was the Tunisian Revolution, which began in late 2010 and concluded in January 2011. The Tunisian Revolution was sparked by a young man’s self-immolation attempt on December 17, 2010. Social media played a significant role in the unfolding of this revolution, which culminated in the ousting of President Ben Ali, who had ruled Tunisia for 23 years. Tunisian activists used Facebook and Twitter to organize protests and spread news, while thousands of related videos, including footage of the demonstrations, were posted on YouTube. Anti-government messages and protest updates were posted on Facebook daily, and messages of support from abroad were relayed to the Tunisian people. One user posted details about Tunisia’s internet police on Facebook, sparking protests; although he was immediately arrested by the government, he used location-sharing services to alert others to his detention, thereby triggering a campaign to secure his release. Amid the Tunisian government’s ongoing control and censorship of the media, social media served as the sole and fastest medium connecting ordinary Tunisians with one another and linking them to the rest of the world.
Even without citing such a major event, the influence of social media in sharing opinions and information and shaping public opinion is evident in various ways. As mentioned earlier, the global success of Blackpink’s “A.P.T.” is another example of social media’s influence. The music video, released on YouTube, spread worldwide via the Twitter and Facebook accounts of celebrities like Justin Bieber, ultimately reaching No. 2 on the Billboard charts. Sharing information about natural disasters is also a common sight in our daily lives. For example, information about the recent typhoon that made landfall was shared in real time via social media. Furthermore, the political campaigns leading up to the presidential election demonstrate the political influence that social media holds in Korea.
On the other hand, the influence of social media also manifests in various social problems. Given the nature of social media, where personal information is uploaded and shared, privacy violations—that is, privacy issues—are the most prominent concern. The tendency for information to spread indiscriminately on social media without proper verification carries the risk of distorted information circulating and the potential for manipulating public opinion. As an extension of this, social media has become a breeding ground for witch hunts, such as the so-called “XX Girl Incident,” and in the worst cases, has led to the creation of innocent victims. Furthermore, social media addiction is emerging as a form of internet addiction. People are becoming addicted to social media, which is accessible 24 hours a day via smartphones and other devices, to the point where they feel they cannot live without it.
Beyond these social issues, a fundamental problem inherent to social media is whether it can be a sustainable industry. When Facebook went public in May 2012, countless investors worldwide had high expectations. However, Facebook’s stock price subsequently remained below its initial public offering (IPO) price of $38, and the lack of a viable revenue model was frequently cited as the cause. Even when exploring various revenue streams—such as social games, advertising, and mobile ads—there is a challenge in adding new features due to significant user backlash. Former corporate executives have also pointed out the need for management advice, suggesting that Facebook’s leadership requires more experience and guidance. Seeing the largest social media company, Facebook, struggling financially makes it clear that the situation for other social media platforms is far from easy. Thus, social media has been plagued by a fundamental lack of a revenue model from its inception, and it must resolve this issue to survive as an industry.
Currently, we use social media as a tool for maintaining and managing our networks, as a platform for expressing our opinions, as a sales tool, as a job-hunting tool, and for various other purposes. Such convenient social media can change the world through positive influence, as seen in the Tunisian Revolution, but conversely, it can also lead to negative outcomes, such as the creation of innocent victims through witch hunts. If users always keep this in mind and use social media responsibly, we can continue an era where social media has a positive impact on both individuals and society. Furthermore, to achieve this, social media companies must find viable business models to provide stable services to users.
