Institutionalizing Social Media

Abstract

The article focuses on the conceptualization of social media as a social institution. The article addresses the current issues and prospects for the institutionalization of social media in the context of the contemporary media space transformation and the evolution of the digital society. The authors analyze the establishment of social media as a social institution from the perspectives of political, sociological, and media philosophical approaches. Employing a meta-analysis of current scientific literature, the authors delineate the principal issues associated with the institutionalization of social media. The authors highlight the role of the state and communication with the audience in the institutionalization of social media. The effectiveness of legal frameworks regulating government activity in the digital sphere is posited, drawing on examples of social media use within public administration across different nations. The social influence problems of intra-audience communication on social media are raised, as well as aspects of disinformation, post-truth, and the impact of narratives on collective identity. The article also explores conceptual approaches to the transformation of the digital space and the role of information technology in development of social media.