Why I Don’t Like “Socials”

Before you think I’m anti-social, let me explain. The first generation of these websites around the early 2000’s were referred to as social networks. When Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram rose to popularity in the mid to late 2000s, they were called "social media." Since the number of social platforms suddenly multiplied afterwards, the Gen Z population adapted and heavily used the term "socials," referring to the collective social media platforms they were on. And since then, the term “socials” has been the default term.

Personally, I miss the term “social media,” with emphasis on “media.” I was an active user or multimedia, and my job for over a decade was referred to as a social media specialist. The team I was a part of was the media team. So “media” has been a staple title and focus on my career and expertise.

With the current and popular term “socials” nowadays, it’s basically removed the main word, which I held dear to my heart and used with pride and passion. Today, it may be standard casual English to use it, but I will probably use what I’ve been accustomed to all these years, “social media.”

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