Social media you use the most?

[PluMGMK]

Does this site count as social media?

I like to think not

Gee, wonder if some other social media platform could be renamed Zero, haha.

I would love that!

[Greengoop]

Fair enough, does YouTube count then?

[PluMGMK]

I'm not sure, I guess it does… In which case the answer for me is YouTube, even though I don't engage with that socially very often

[Greengoop]

I often comment on rayman-related videos and upload about once a week, but otherwise I just watch away

[DaveRattlehead]

I get your point... If you use it for music it's kinda weird to associate it as a social media.

[Greengoop]

Yeah it’s not really social if music

[Ambidextroid]

I don't think I would count YouTube as a social media, at least not the way I use it. And seeing as I only use Discord for a single server with 6 people in, I wouldn't count that either. So, by my definition at least, I don't use any!

[Greengoop]

You could technically use Facebook and IG and everything else as non-social media if you don’t be interactive with them, because think about this, YouTube is just video IG

[Ambidextroid]

I suppose Facebook and Instagram have more of a focus around sharing your personal life online, or at least some version of it, while YouTube is much broader with educational content and professionally produced entertainment. That being said I've never used Instagram so I don't know if the same can be said.

[DaveRattlehead]

Just a bit off topic, but I really hate how toxic can Instagram be...

[PluMGMK]

Anyone tried Threads then?

[Greengoop]

I suppose Facebook and Instagram have more of a focus around sharing your personal life online, or at least some version of it, while YouTube is much broader with educational content and professionally produced entertainment. That being said I've never used Instagram so I don't know if the same can be said.

What about vlogs

[Ambidextroid]

What about vlogs

True, there is a large segment of YouTube devoted to vlogging and social media, but I don't really engage with it myself. Looking through my history, about half of the videos I watch are related to music, and the other half are mostly either docu-style long form videos about topics I'm interested in or something like streamer highlights. If I feel like I'm watching some crap that I'm not really interested in I click the "don't reccomend channel" button to force my algorithm to serve me more productive videos.

[Greengoop]

What about vlogs

True, there is a large segment of YouTube devoted to vlogging and social media, but I don't really engage with it myself. Looking through my history, about half of the videos I watch are related to music, and the other half are mostly either docu-style long form videos about topics I'm interested in or something like streamer highlights. If I feel like I'm watching some crap that I'm not really interested in I click the "don't reccomend channel" button to force my algorithm to serve me more productive videos.

Those are fair points, but are we going to conclude with YouTube being social media?

[Ambidextroid]

I think it has the capability to be used as social media, but I wouldn't consider that it's primary purpose, so I wouldn't consider it social media per se. It's just a video sharing platform. I think any video sharing platform could be used as social media if you wanted to, but there are many "professional YouTubers" who use the platform to make their living. On the other hand Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have a definite focus on sharing your personal life online and chatting to your friends. YouTube doesn't even have a chat feature which I feel like is a minimum requirement for being a social media platform.

[Steo]

I think it's important to steer clear of most mainstream social media. You always leave more mentally strained than you do going in, whether it be because of seeing something you shouldn't have or the vile nature in people that anonymity can bring. There are some nice things, though. I can share my art with and speak to people from all over the world. I suppose that's pretty cool Technically RPC is social media as well, but I would say that toxic nature doesn't affect more down-to-earth forums like this.

Yeah places like X (stupid name) are literally like wrestling rings when it comes to drama. Almost everything that happens there is some form of drama, gatekeeping, or resorting to cancel culture. It's still nice to use it for promoting your work, but other than this, it's basically useless, as any opinion you have is going to have everyone gang up on you with pitchforks and poke you harder with them for apologising over it.

I like cool little hangout places like this forum, and the likes of Discord when you find a place to just chill. I tend to use Discord servers to help with game development projects too.

[Greengoop]

I think it has the capability to be used as social media, but I wouldn't consider that it's primary purpose, so I wouldn't consider it social media per se. It's just a video sharing platform. I think any video sharing platform could be used as social media if you wanted to, but there are many "professional YouTubers" who use the platform to make their living. On the other hand Facebook, Instagram and Twitter have a definite focus on sharing your personal life online and chatting to your friends. YouTube doesn't even have a chat feature which I feel like is a minimum requirement for being a social media platform.

What would you say the social media criteria is then?

[DaveRattlehead]

I agree with Ambidextroid. I guess the social media is designed and focused on direct interaction with other people. I wouldn't say it's the same on YouTube. Yes, you can interact with other people in the comment section, but I agree that it's more like a video sharing platform rather than a tool to interact with others.

[Ambidextroid]

What would you say the social media criteria is then?

I'm not sure there is a hard and fast criteria, but I think generally social media has an intended purpose of posting photographs, videos or text posts with the express purpose of sharing details of your life with other people online, be that a photo of what you had for dinner, a video of you celebrating a football match or a description of your last holiday. There should also be a means of chatting and adding friends. Basically features that promote socialising.

[Greengoop]

What would you say the social media criteria is then?

I'm not sure there is a hard and fast criteria, but I think generally social media has an intended purpose of posting photographs, videos or text posts with the express purpose of sharing details of your life with other people online, be that a photo of what you had for dinner, a video of you celebrating a football match or a description of your last holiday. There should also be a means of chatting and adding friends. Basically features that promote socialising.

That kinda does make YouTube social media then