Public Confusion Surrounds Definition of Social Media, New Study Reveals

A recent study conducted by researchers at Aston University has uncovered significant public confusion regarding the term social media. Published on July 10, 2026, in the journal Psychology of Popular Media, the research highlights discrepancies in how individuals categorize various platforms as social media.

Understanding Social Media Definitions

Ph.D. researcher Evelyn Murray and her team, including Dr. Charlotte Pennington, Dr. Daniel Shaw, and Professor Michael Larkin, surveyed nearly 1,000 active social media users to explore their perceptions of social media. The findings reveal that there is no universally accepted definition of what constitutes social media, leading to misunderstandings about which platforms should be regulated.

According to the study, social media is broadly defined as an online platform for sharing digital media socially. Common features include social interaction, user-generated content, content sharing, and community building. Yet, as technology evolves, definitions struggle to keep pace, complicating discussions among academics and policymakers.

Commonly Recognized Social Media Platforms

The research identified five platforms that participants across all ages frequently recognized as social media:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• X (formerly Twitter)
• TikTok
• Snapchat

Interestingly, platforms like Roblox and Wikipedia, which exhibit characteristics of social media, were not commonly classified as such. Roblox allows users to create avatars and interact within a vast array of user-created games, while Wikipedia features user-generated content and public engagement, yet both are often excluded from the social media category.

Perceptions of Social Media's Impact

The study also looked at how participants perceive the impact of social media on their lives. While public discourse tends to be polarized, many participants expressed a balanced view, recognizing both positive and negative aspects. Positive attributes included accessibility, entertainment, and relationship maintenance, while negative perceptions highlighted issues such as addiction, misinformation, cyberbullying, and sleep disruption.

Evelyn Murray stated, "I found major discrepancies among definitions that included or excluded platforms based on subjective characteristics. I hope this research encourages a more careful and precise use of the term 'social media' in both policy and academic work."

The findings emphasize the importance of a clear definition of social media, especially in the context of proposed regulations aimed at protecting young users. As Dr. Pennington noted, "Policies risk targeting an ill-defined concept, leading to overly broad or ineffective regulation that may not reflect real-world experiences of specific social media platforms."