Social media are social software which mediate human communication. When the technologies are in place, social media is ubiquitously accessible, and enabled by scalable[clarification needed] communication techniques. In the year 2012, social media became one of the most powerful sources for news updates through platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google+.
Key Highlights:
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Top Social Media Services:
- Facebook's sharing increased by 18%, accounting for 51% of all shares.
- Twitter saw a 55% increase in sharing, comprising 15% of the total.
- Email sharing grew by 17%, contributing to 9% of overall shares.
- The print sharing option rose by 32%, making up 8%.
- Significant platforms included Pinterest (up by 379,559%), Reddit, and Google+ (up by 12%), while MySpace (down by 62%) and Delicious (down by 57%) declined.
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Entertainment Trends:
- Pop musicians like PSY, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Carly Rae Jepsen were compared based on buzzwords and lyrics.
- PSY's "Gangnam Style" went viral on August 18th, especially in Asian countries.
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Most Shared Superhero Films:
- Batman was the most shared with 55% of shares on Twitter and 30% on Facebook Like.
- The Avengers and Spiderman followed, with varied sharing percentages across Twitter, Facebook, Email, and other platforms.
- The Hulk and Iron Man received notable mentions on their opening nights.
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Technology Launches:
- Products like the iPhone 5, Windows 8, iPad Mini, and Google Nexus were compared, focusing on top buzzwords from each launch.
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Timeline of Major Shared Events:
- Noteworthy events included the US Election, Hurricane Sandy, the London Olympics, Whitney Houston's death, the Costa Concordia disaster, Facebook's IPO, the Chick-fil-A controversy, and the Mars Curiosity Rover.
- The US Election dominated 13% of all social activity on November 6th.
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Interesting Facts:
- Pinterest emerged as the fastest-growing service after Facebook, particularly popular for food-related pins.
- Mexico experienced the most significant growth in sharing, driven by a 20% increase in Facebook Likes.
- NFL player Tim Tebow was the most discussed athlete.
This infographic reflects the evolving landscape of social media in 2012, underscoring the dominant roles of platforms like Facebook and Twitter and the growing importance of visual content on platforms like Pinterest. It also demonstrates how global events and popular culture significantly influence social sharing trends.
