What The Follow?

Nicki (Owner)
Feb 18, 2018
4 min read

Updated: Mar 27, 2018

This article defines social media terms, so you can communicate with your students. Yes...social media may really be another language!

(Hint: use Control+F, or Command+F, to quickly "find" words).

Add Friend, or, Friend Me: Often used on Facebook to subscribe, or follow, someone’s account.
App: Short for “application”. It is something you can download and use on your smart devices.
Augmented Reality (AR): AR apps and websites superimpose computer-generated images or animations on your real-world views.
Bitmoji: A cross between an emoji and you. It is an app you can download, then create your own icon that looks like like you. (ps: check out my Bit More Bitmoji post on how to use this in your classroom!)
Bluetooth: Allows you to easily transfer files at high speed. In classrooms, bluetooth will most likely be used to connect to speakers to amplify the sound or when using Apple TV.
Comment: A way to express your own words and post your own views on someone else’s post. Often used in Facebook and Instagram.
Emoji: a digital face or icon. Often used in text, on social media, and email.
Follow for follow: Often used in Instagram and Twitter to get people to “follow” their own account, if they extend the follow to someone else’s page.
Follow: Essentially means you are “subscribing” to this person’s content. Typically, this person will get a notification that they have a new “follower”.
Fortnite: It all began with Fortnite Battle Royale, the computer video game that launched last fall and has reportedly been downloaded more than 40 million times. Fortnite is a zombie survival game in which players can either team up or play solo, to try and be the last contestant standing a la The Hunger Games. Read more here.
Gif: 1-3 second video loop that often has a funny, relatable, caption attached with it. Often used in Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Not to be confused with “Meme”. Examples are in the Trendy Gifs article.
Hashtag, #, or, Pound Symbol: Helps connect accounts or posts using words without spaces in between (example: #lifeisgood). This is often used on Instagram and Twitter. Easily track “trends” using #’s to know what lots of people are talking about, all around the world, in real-time. (funny Jimmy Fallon/JT video)
LB: Stands for “like back”. Often used in Instagram to get people to “like” their own image, if they extend the like to someone else’s post.
Like: Often used on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Most platforms track the amount of “likes” someone gets on each post. This sends a notification to the author of the post that you “liked” their post.
Meme: An altered image that has a funny, relatable, caption attached with it. Often used in Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Not to be confused with “Gif”. Examples are in the Trendy Memes article.
Notification: Typically sent to your email, text, or through the app itself,
Post: When you “share” something on social media platform, you are “posting” it. Your followers can view your posts unless you are on “private”.
Private: Can be selected in your “settings” on most social media platforms. If you are on “private”, then only people you accept as followers can view the content you post. (see “public” for the contrary).
Public: Can be selected in your “settings” on most social media platforms. If you are on “public”, then everyone, including your followers and people that do not follow you, can view the content you post. (see “private” for the contrary).
Publish: Means you have posted, saved online, or wrote something online that can be viewed by your followers.
Quote Tweet: Only referred to on Twitter, when you take someone else’s tweet and share with your followers, and add your own comment in.
Retweet: Only referred to on Twitter, when you take someone else’s tweet and share with your followers.
Smart Devices: Electronic device that typically connects to other devices or networks. They use internet and bluetooth to operate and connect.
Subscribe, Subscriber, Subscribing: You are actively selecting that you want to get updates on what this person posts on their social media account. You may get opt-in to receive notifications whenever they post something new.
Tag: People are “tagged” using the “@” symbol in multiple platforms. This alerts someone that their social media page has been referenced. It is used to get an individual’s attention. Often used to send funny, relatable, posts to friends.
Trend or Trending: #’s help track “trends”, which are topics that are being discussed around the world. Trends are topics that are searched for the most. Trends will change from day-to-day, week-to-week, etc.
Tweet: Only referred to on Twitter, when you post something. Tweets can use up to 280 characters. This character count was doubled, from 140, on November 7, 2017.
Views: Previously used on Vine to show how many loops it received. “Views” used now often used on Facebook and Instagram to show how many times the video has looped. People also reference the word “views” if they are referring to something that is beautiful. (Example: This vacation spot is “views”.)
Vine: An app used used between 2013-2017. It was shutdown by Twitter. It hosted looping videos that were 6-seconds or less. There is news that there maybe a “V2” that is coming out soon. Most “Vine Stars” have since found fame in new social media platforms and some have even scored roles in tv shows and movies. Examples are in the Trendy Vines article.
Virtual Reality (VR): VR apps or websites typically have you wear goggles and headphones to immerse yourself in the world created by the program, allowing you to use multiple senses.
Wifi: Essentially the same as internet connectivity