Social Media Communication Concepts, Practices, Data, Law and Ethics

This updated fifth edition presents a wide-scale, interdisciplinary guide to social media communication. Examining platforms such as Meta Facebook and Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, X and Reddit, the book analyzes social media's use in journalism, public relations, advertising, and marketing. Lipschultz focuses on key concepts, best practices, data analyses, law and ethics – all promoting the critical thinking that is needed to use new, evolving and maturing networking tools effectively within social and mobile media spaces. Featuring historical markers and contemporary case studies, essays from some of the industry’s leading social media innovators and a comprehensive glossary, this practical, multipurpose textbook gives readers the resources they will need to both evaluate and utilize current and future forms of social media communication. Updates to the fifth edition include expanded discussion of agentic AI social media content and algorithms, disinformation, and misinformation, the importance of media and information literacy, and emerging platforms. New ‘Thought Leaders’ also bring fresh perspectives to social media studies. Social Media Communication is the perfect social media primer for students and professionals and, with an updated online teaching guide, ideal for instructors, too.