In this blog post, we will examine the background of social media’s growth, its social and political influence, and how the problems caused by its openness are changing.
Introduction
Social media is undoubtedly the most notable web service today. Compared to existing web-based social media, SNS has gained popularity by emphasizing its convenience and openness, becoming an integral part of users’ daily lives. With the widespread adoption of smartphones, the influence of SNS has grown significantly, transcending personal communication and information sharing to become a marketing tool for businesses and a means of communication with the public in the political and entertainment sectors. However, it is also true that various issues have emerged due to this openness.
The Concept of SNS
SNS stands for Social Network Service, which refers to an online platform that forms and strengthens social relationships through free communication, information sharing, and networking among users. Representative examples include Facebook, Twitter, and Telegram, each of which provides services in its own unique way.
Initially, SNS was primarily used on PCs, but with the widespread adoption of smartphones, the mobileization of SNS progressed, and conversations that were previously exchanged via text messages on mobile phones shifted to SNS. As a result, the number of users and the amount of time spent on SNS have steadily increased. In his book “The Facebook Effect,” David Kirkpatrick states, “Facebook is based on human instinct. Everyone has a need for belonging, a bit of vanity, and some curiosity.” This statement provides some insight into the popularity of Facebook.
If we broadly define the category of social media, it could include existing blogs and communities that allowed users to communicate and share information. However, considering the timing when the term “social media” was first used and when it began to bring about changes in daily life and exert social influence, it is appropriate to view the current term “social media” as a specific type of social media. There are various types of SNS, including profile-based services represented by Facebook and microblogs represented by Twitter. Most services adopt slightly different approaches to differentiate themselves, but we will focus on the two services mentioned above, which have the largest number of users and are clearly contrasting types, for comparison and analysis.
Features of Facebook
Facebook is an open community where users must be friends with each other in order to share content. However, it allows users to easily create pages, and anyone who is a friend can view personal information and content updates. It is highly user-friendly and open, and thanks to these characteristics, it has strong adaptability to mobile devices and currently boasts the largest number of active users worldwide. Additionally, its large user base and the ability to gauge user preferences through the “Like” feature make it widely utilized by businesses for marketing purposes.
Features of Twitter
Unlike traditional blogs, Twitter adopts a method of delivering short, fragmented content (within 140 characters) in real time to users interested in that content. As a result, Twitter has a nature similar to a messenger app. Unlike Facebook, users can establish a follow relationship without going through a friend request approval process, offering greater openness and anonymity. This enables rapid information dissemination and feedback.
Advantages of Facebook and Twitter
Blogs and cafes, which previously served as social media platforms, are gradually losing ground to SNS in competition. The main reasons why SNS has emerged as a leader in this competition are as follows.
First, they are highly adaptable to mobile devices. Currently popular SNS platforms have simpler pages than traditional social media, allowing users to access them smoothly anytime, anywhere via mobile devices. This is a significant advantage in modern society, where people desire constant communication and relationships with others.
Second, the simple service format reduces the burden on users in terms of content delivery. Traditionally, blogs featured in-depth content and detailed photos, which could be a barrier for users. However, social media allows users to easily express their thoughts and feelings about current issues or their daily lives, satisfying their desire for self-expression.
Third, thanks to these advantages, users can receive immediate and easy feedback on their content via mobile devices. This enables true social networking, with a speed that is significantly different from existing social media. This is similar to how email, which was used as a personal communication tool in the mid-1990s with the rapid spread of high-speed internet, gradually shifted to business use, and was replaced by faster and more convenient internet messengers.
Expansion of SNS Functions
SNS is basically intended to promote friendship and expand networks through communication and information sharing between individuals. Communication takes place mainly among acquaintances, family members, and people with similar interests, i.e., those with personal relationships. However, as the number of service users increases and the speed of information transmission accelerates, SNS is being used for various purposes beyond its original function. Here are some examples.
SNS Marketing Examples
The rapid information transmission speed and immediate response of SNS have become essential elements of corporate marketing. Additionally, the ability to directly deliver customized information to target groups and the low cost of implementation have significantly increased the value of SNS for marketing purposes.
The ‘Levi`s iSPY’ event involved a model sharing their real-time location via a smartphone, and Twitter users who followed the model shared the location to find them, with the model receiving a pair of jeans as a gift. In Australia, over 300,000 people participated in this event, achieving significant promotional effects at a low cost. Samsung used a comment event where they gave away laptops to expose positive comments about their products, while YES24 increased page visits and access time through a photo event. Such methods offer the advantage of quickly and widely disseminating information at low cost, and various events continue to be held today.
Politicians and celebrities are socially prominent figures who must constantly expose themselves to gain public attention. Politicians use social media to secure votes, while celebrities leverage it to maintain their popularity. Social media allows them to connect with millions of people easily and present a more approachable image compared to official platforms, making it an effective tool for promotion.
While there is much debate about the pros and cons of this, the fact that most politicians and celebrities use social media indicates that its influence is considerable. In addition, social media is being utilized in many other fields. In the public sector, social media is used to promote policies and receive complaints, and by disclosing the complaint resolution process, it helps improve the image of public institutions.
Furthermore, social commerce, which is e-commerce using social media, is gaining popularity by offering large discounts and spreading the word through social media, and social media is also being used to add fun to games.
Problems caused by the ripple effect of social media
Although there are many advantages and positive examples of social media, various problems are also emerging due to its ripple effect and openness.
Due to the nature of SNS, a very small amount of information is posted, and this is transmitted in real time to an unspecified number of people, making it easy for unverified facts to spread and proliferate without filtering. Representative issues include personal attacks such as “witch hunts” and “doxxing,” the indiscriminate spread of unverified false facts and information, and the creation of social unrest due to the proliferation of uncomfortable issues.
In cases like the Chae Seon-dang pregnant woman assault incident and the food court arson attack, false information spread through one-sided claims, leading to online attacks and the public disclosure of individuals’ personal information, resulting in economic and mental harm. Additionally, rumors of a new type of crime involving the sale of dried seafood laced with ethyl ether, a narcotic, for organ trafficking spread indiscriminately and rapidly through social media, causing social anxiety among the public.
As criticism of these issues grows, various discussions are underway to resolve them, and users are also taking steps to self-regulate. It is hoped that these processes will lead to positive change.
Changes and prospects in the social media market
Various social media companies around the world are seeking to retain users by linking their platforms to games and other applications or by providing features that appeal to users by highlighting the unique characteristics of each page, in order to overcome the limitation that users may become bored due to the restricted nature of content. Additionally, to generate revenue, companies are developing diverse models such as advertising on webpages and selling items like emojis and gift cards. The age range of SNS users is also expanding. Therefore, the SNS market is expected to continue growing in the future.
