▁Social ▁media ▁facil itate ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁online ▁social ▁networks ▁by ▁connecting ▁a ▁user ' s ▁profile ▁with ▁those ▁of ▁other ▁individuals ▁or ▁groups . ▁ ▁Users ▁usually ▁access ▁social ▁media ▁services ▁via ▁web - based ▁apps ▁on ▁des kt ops ▁and ▁la pt ops , ▁or ▁download ▁services ▁that ▁offer ▁social ▁media ▁functionality ▁to ▁their ▁mobile ▁devices ▁( e . g ., ▁smart ph ones ▁and ▁table ts ). ▁As ▁users ▁eng age ▁with ▁these ▁electronic ▁services , ▁they ▁create ▁highly ▁interactive ▁platforms ▁through ▁which ▁individuals , ▁communities , ▁and ▁organizations ▁can ▁share , ▁co - create , ▁discuss , ▁particip ate ▁and ▁modify ▁user - generated ▁content ▁or ▁self - cur ated ▁content ▁posted ▁online . ▁ ▁Network s ▁formed ▁through ▁social ▁media ▁change ▁the ▁way ▁groups ▁of ▁people ▁interact ▁and ▁communicate ▁or ▁stand ▁with ▁the ▁votes . ▁They ▁" int rodu ce ▁substantial ▁and ▁per vas ive ▁changes ▁to ▁communication ▁between ▁organizations , ▁communities , ▁and ▁individuals ." ▁ ▁These ▁changes ▁are ▁the ▁focus ▁of ▁the ▁emer ging ▁fields ▁of ▁techn os elf ▁studies . ▁Social ▁media ▁differ ▁from ▁paper - based ▁media ▁( e . g ., ▁mag az ines ▁and ▁newsp apers ) ▁and ▁traditional ▁electronic ▁media ▁such ▁as ▁TV ▁broadcast ing , ▁Radio ▁broadcast ing ▁in ▁many ▁ways , ▁including ▁quality , ▁reach , ▁frequency , ▁inter activity , ▁us ability , ▁imm edia cy , ▁and ▁performance . ▁Social ▁media ▁out lets ▁operate ▁in ▁a ▁dialog ic ▁transmission ▁system ▁( many ▁sources ▁to ▁many ▁rece ivers