▁unclear , ▁with ▁some ▁early ▁research ers ▁referring ▁to ▁social ▁media ▁as ▁social ▁networks ▁or ▁social ▁networking ▁services ▁in ▁the ▁mid ▁ 2 0 0 0 s . ▁A ▁more ▁recent ▁paper ▁from ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁review ed ▁the ▁prominent ▁literature ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁and ▁identified ▁four ▁common ▁features ▁unique ▁to ▁then - current ▁social ▁media ▁services : ▁▁ ▁Social ▁media ▁are ▁Web ▁ 2 . 0 ▁Internet - based ▁applications . ▁ ▁User - generated ▁content ▁( U GC ) ▁is ▁the ▁lif eb lo od ▁of ▁the ▁social ▁media ▁organ ism . ▁ ▁Users ▁create ▁service - specific ▁profiles ▁for ▁the ▁site ▁or ▁app ▁that ▁are ▁designed ▁and ▁maintained ▁by ▁the ▁social ▁media ▁organization . ▁▁ ▁Social ▁media ▁facil itate ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁online ▁social ▁networks ▁by ▁connecting ▁a ▁user ' s ▁profile ▁with ▁those ▁of ▁other ▁individuals ▁or ▁groups . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁Mer ri am - Web ster ▁defined ▁" social ▁media " ▁as ▁" forms ▁of ▁electronic ▁communication ▁( such ▁as ▁websites ▁for ▁social ▁networking ▁and ▁micro blog ging ) ▁through ▁which ▁users ▁create ▁online ▁communities ▁to ▁share ▁information , ▁ideas , ▁personal ▁messages , ▁and ▁other ▁content ▁( such ▁as ▁videos )" ▁ ▁The ▁development ▁of ▁social ▁media ▁started ▁off ▁with ▁simple ▁platforms ▁such ▁as ▁six de gre es . com . ▁Un like ▁instant ▁mess aging ▁clients , ▁such ▁as ▁IC Q ▁and ▁A OL ' s ▁A IM , ▁or ▁chat ▁clients ▁like ▁I RC , ▁i Ch