Understanding Social Media and Its Potentials

These days, we repeatedly hear the phrase ―social media‖ from different sources, ranging from our nearest friends to the mass media we follow. We also hear that social media catalyzed and organized demonstrations in countries where recent revolutions broke out. But the actual role social media played in such socio-political contexts is, in most circumstances, blurred. To avert such problems, comprehending the theoretical ideals that can help us to understand such media‘s overall potential has a paramount significance. This paper thus aimed at assessing the theories of mediation and mediatization as alternative ways of conceptualizing the role of social media by reviewing some literatures (Schultz, 2004; Lundby, 2008; Hjarvard, 2008; Thumin, 2009; Couldry, 2008; Stromback, 2008).