Social media share most or all of the following characteristics:

• Participation
  Contributions and feedback are encouraged from everyone who is interested. It blurs the line between media and audience.
• Openness
  Feedback and participation are actively encouraged, as is voting, comments and the sharing of information. There are rarely any barriers to accessing and making use of content. Password-protected content is frowned upon.
• Conversation
  Traditional media relies on “broadcasting” (content transmitted or distributed to an audience). Social media is more a two-way conversation.
• Community
  Groups can form quickly and communicate effectively. Communities share common interests, such as a love of photography, a political issue or a favourite TV show.
• Connectivity
  Most kinds of social media thrive on their connectivity, making use of links to other sites, resources and people.