Table 2.
Terms frequently used in social media platforms
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Bitly | A free website to shorten web addresses so users can save characters/make them tidy |
| Cloud | Data exclusively stored and accessed online |
| Direct message | Private conversation on Twitter (possible only among individuals who are following each other) |
| Fake news | False information spread on the internet (especially through social media channels) on purpose so that people believe is true |
| Feed/newsfeed | The display of posts from followed accounts; their sorting is decided by each network's unique algorithm for choosing to display what is most interesting/relevant to users, based on their behaviour |
| Follow | To start receiving information from a specific social media account (especially on Twitter) |
| Followers | Individuals who subscribe to an individual’s account (usually on Twitter or Instagram) in order to receive all information sent from that account |
| Handle | A person's or organization's account name on Twitter (preceded by the symbol @, e.g. @escardio for the official ESC account) |
| Hashtag | A single word or contracted phrase added to social media posts in order to facilitate finding and tracking that information (preceded by the symbol #, e.g. #ESCongress for content related to ESC Congress) |
| Like | Approval of another user’s social media post on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram (by clicking the ‘Like’ button) |
| Mention/tag | To include someone else’s social media user name in a post. Used to attribute content to a specific person, to engage the mentioned person in discussion and to categorize information (format on Twitter: @username) |
| Post | Content published online on a social media platform. Can comprise text, image, video, audio information, and internet links |
| Retweet | To forward a message posted by another user on Twitter. The respective button on Twitter allows to retweet received messages along with the original sharer’s name |
| Tag Cloud | Visual depiction of common expressions found in posts or messages relative to a specific topic/hashtag. The size in which a certain expression is visualized reflects the frequency with which it is mentioned |
| Thread | A series of connected tweets from the same user, usually tweeted at the same time. Phrase equally used for a series of tweets from multiple users as well (all replying to initial tweet/other replies within the discussion) |
| Trolling | To make a deliberately offensive or provocative post on social media |
| Tweet | Message with a maximum of 280 characters posted on Twitter. May include images (up to 4) or 1 video or 1 gif |
| Verified account | Officially validated handle/profile in a social media platform that distinguishes a person/organization’s real handle/profile from any false ones that might be created |
| Viral | Online content posted on social media that circulates rapidly and achieves widespread awareness |
ESC, European Society of Cardiology.