Social Media and the Rise of Participatory Culture



The digital disruption of traditional mass media has amplified social media platforms by embedding their interactivity into daily routines. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and X are now communication tools and culture arena (Song, 2024). Society now expects media to be immediate, authentic, and socially responsive.

The rise on influencer culture illustrates this shift. Individuals, rather than institutions, now shape cultural norms and public discourse (George,2025). Audiences expect relatability and transparency, often valuing personal storytelling over polished corporate messaging. Research highlights how social media has become a disruptive force across the sociocultural landscape, Influencing everything from personal relationships to political activism (Khan, 2025). 

This participatory culture has also created challenges. Misinformation spread rapidly, echo chambers reinforce biases, and digital inequality excludes certain voices (Lee, n.d.-a). Yet, the expectation remains that media should reflect diverse perspective and provide platforms for marginalized communities (Wang, 2018). The cultural shift is clear; mass media is no longer about broadcasting to the masses but about facilitating networked conversations.


Young adults, in particular, are redefining expectations around accessibility and personalization. Studies show that they consume news differently, often through social feeds rather than traditional outlets (Wang, 2018). This generational shift underscores the demand for media that is interactive, personalized, and socially conscious.

As participatory culture becomes the norm, the next question emerges, how will technology not only transform culture but also preserve it in the digital age?


References

George, A. S. (2025). The evolution of digital and social media communications: opportunities, challenges, and the road ahead. Partners Universal Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 02(02). https://doi.org/10.5772/.1006565

Gwen, & Gwen. (2024, September 20). The rise of streaming: How digital platforms are changing film and media. Thecreativita. https://thecreativita.com/blog/2024/09/20/the-rise-of-streaming-how-digital-platforms-are-changing-film-and-media/

Khan, L. (2025). Oxford Intersections: Social Media in Society and culture. Academic. https://doi.org/10.1093/9780198945253.001.0001

Lee, S. (n.d.-a). Participatory culture in digital media. https://www.numberanalytics.com/blog/ultimate-guide-participatory-culture-digital-media

Scripps News. (2016, November 4). Social media echo chambers trap Americans [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swBF6x-2A2k

Song, J. (2024). The Evolution and Impact of Streaming Services: Changing the media landscape. In Global Media Journal, Global Media Journal (Vols. 22–22, pp. 72–72) [Journal-article]. https://doi.org/10.36648/1550-7521.22.72.470

Wang, L. (2018). Book Review: Henry Jenkins, Mimi Ito and danah boyd, Participatory Culture in a Networked Era. Global Media and China, 3(1), 69–72. https://doi.org/10.1177/2059436418771394

Georg

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