Exploring Language Practices and Thematic Patterns in Social Media Interaction

Abstract

Social media platforms have changed the structure of communication on a global scale. New communication practices have been introduced. They have changed the way people conceptualize, develop, and share information with one another over the Internet. Facebook, Twitter, and other social media platforms have created new opportunities for people to share ideas and socialize. Sex, race, and class are used as tools of social media engagement to criticize and raise awareness of social issues. This research examines the possibility and limitations of Internet communication practices. It seeks to understand how social media shapes and affects modern communication and the ways people think and express themselves. A qualitative methodology was adopted and content gathered from the most popular social media platforms was subjected to thematic analysis by UCL analysts. The analysis framework of Braun and Clarke was used as the structure of the study. The analysis demonstrated that social media engagement is highly simplified and multimodal. The study shows how social media creates new ways to develop identities. Personal social media pages may influence and inspire public discourse and critique community issues. This study indicates that a social media page is a highly adaptable tool that people mold and change based on the a multitude of factors, including the audience and intent, reflective of a modern integrated society. This study shows the adaptability of social media once new technology is implemented. This study provides a foundation for future research on Multilingualism.