Definitions of Common Digital Media Terms

• Age-Appropriate Design – An approach to design that considers child development and developmental milestones (things that most children can do or understand by certain ages). Age-appropriate design ensures the effect of a product or service on children of varying ages is taken into account during product development,  implementation, and use of the product or service.
• Age Verification – A process to confirm that users are the right age. Confirmation can be through physical identifiers (like an ID) and/or other verified sources of identification to establish the user’s age.
• Algorithm – A mathematical set of rules specifying how a group of data behaves. For social media, this means figuring out how to best encourage sharing of content and engagement with the app, including advertisements. They are a way for social media companies to prioritize content on a user’s feed.
• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) – An API is the system that allows software to speak with other software. 
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) – A set of techniques that enable computer systems to perform tasks, like a human, based on input or training data. There are different categories of AI systems, including emotion recognition systems, chatbots and online search and recommendation systems.
• Augmented Reality (AR) –  An interactive experience that enhances the real world with computer-generated images and information. Using software, apps, and hardware such as AR glasses, augmented reality overlays digital content onto real-life environments and objects. (Example: Pokémon Go)
• Autoplay – A function on a video or audio player where one clip or episode finishes and is immediately followed by another.
• Behavioral Advertising – A method in which companies monitor people’s online behavior and use that information to show them individually targeted advertisements. 
• Challenge (TikTok) – A video trend that “challenges” users to perform a certain task or action, like a dance or a prank
• Community Standards – The rules that online services or platforms set and share with users about the kinds of behavior or content that are allowed (or not allowed) when using their service. These rules may take into account state or local laws.
• Content Creator – Someone who creates entertaining or educational material (e.g. vlogs, live streams, podcasts, photo or video posts) to be shared online. Creators may be paid for their digital content by advertisers. 
• Content Filtering – The process of screening and/or restricting access to potentially harmful or suspicious emails, webpages, or other items. Parents often use filters to exclude online content like porn sites, hate speech, illegal content, etc. 
• Content Moderation – The practice of monitoring and reviewing websites, emails, posts, videos, and other content to remove unallowable material. This can be performed by AI tools or human moderators.  
• Data Collection – Websites, apps, and social media platforms collect and store personal data from users. This allows them to track behavior and information to recommend content. This information may sometimes be given to other platforms and advertisers.
• Data Protection By Default – When companies automatically ensure that user data is kept private and not shared with others and do not require users to take action to “opt-in” for data privacy.
• Data Protection By Design – When companies  implement safeguards and data protection at the beginning stages of the design process. 
• Design – The act of conceiving, planning, and making a product.
• Digital Literacy – The ability to use digital technologies to find, evaluate, create, and share information. Related terms include ‘media literacy’, ‘information literacy’ or 'media and information literacy', among others.
• Disinformation – When false information is knowingly shared.
• Direct Message (DM) – A private message sent directly to a user and not posted publicly. Often called a DM for short.
• Discover (Snapchat) – A list of recommended stories from publishers and creators on Snapchat.
• Duet and Stitch (TikTok) – Stitching and duetting are both features on TikTok that allow users to interact with their favorite creators and videos. Duets play your video side by side with another creator’s video; stitches are videos shown in sequence, first the original clip and then your recording.
• Endless Scroll – A web design where more content is automatically and continuously loaded at the bottom of a page as the user scrolls.
• Explore (Instagram) – A personalized feed of recommended content from accounts a user doesn’t follow. Ads are often included with user content.
• Family Pairing – A feature that allows parents/caregivers to link their accounts with their child’s account in order to monitor usage and activate various safety settings.
• Feed – On social media platforms, a user’s feed (home screen) is created by an AI system that predicts what you will find valuable and relevant based on what you have paid attention to, liked, shared, or interacted with. They also suggest popular content and ads in your feed.
• Followers – Users who like or choose to view another’s posts and content. 
• Friends – Users who have both agreed to follow each other.
• Ghosting – When a person abruptly ends all communication with someone online without any explanation. The concept most often refers to romantic relationships, but it can also describe digital disappearances from friendships.
• GIFS – Short animated images without sound 
• Group Direct Messages (GDMs) – A private message chain with a group of friends or followers.
• Group Chats – A text message chain that includes more than two people.
• Hashtags – A # symbol followed by a word or phrase that categorizes content by topic.
• Influencer – A person who impacts the purchasing behaviors of others because of their authority, knowledge, position, or relationship with their followers. Influencers can be everyday users with large social media followings or they can be industry experts with years of experience. Marketers may seek out influencers to help promote their products and services. 
  
  • Micro-Influencer – following of over 100,000 users
  • Micro-Influencer – following of between 10,000 and 100,000 users
  • Nano-Influencer – following of fewer than 10,000 users
• Influencer Marketing – Influencers who share a behind-the-scenes look at their lives on platforms, while also promoting select brands through sponsored posts.
• Like – A “like” is a button or feature on most social media platforms that allows users to express approval or agreement with a post or piece of content.
• Meme – An often humorous video, image, or phrase that is shared between social media users.
• Metadata – A set of data that describes and gives information about other data. 
• Monetization – The ability for users to make money using their social media feeds. An example is an influencer using social media for in-app shopping, sponsored ads, and paid entry into private groups. 
• Push Notifications – A short message from an app or platform that pops up on a phone’s main screen when the app is not being used.
• Personal Data – Any information relating to a person, including name, location, online identifiers and activity, contact information etc. 
• Persuasive Design – Online features (e.g., autoplay and rewards) intended to keep users engaged longer by keeping them attentive and attracted to platforms.
• Privacy Policies/Settings – Rules and regulations for how a platform processes and stores a user’s data and personal information Often required by law.
• Profile – A user’s personal page where photos, videos, and information about the user is located.
• Quantified Approval – Giving a value to the “likes” or other reactions to a post or content shared on social media.
• Safety By Design – The practice of designing online programs to ensure users' safety. An example is default settings for youth accounts that prevent adults from contacting users younger than a certain age.
• Snapchat Map – A virtual map where users can see the locations of their friends. Users check into a location or allow location tracking on their device.
• Spamming – The act of sending unsolicited messages about a product or a service. These messages often include links to illegal products, scams or malware (online viruses).
• Story – An image or video that is posted to a user’s account and then removed after 24 hours.
• Targeted Advertising – The practice of showing ads to users based on data collected about them, e.g., their online activity, purchases, location, gender, age, preferences, etc.
• Teen Accounts (Instagram) – Accounts for teen users with certain default privacy settings, optional parental controls, and stricter content filters. Debuted in September 2024.
• Trolling – The act of deliberately causing annoyance and discomfort online, typically by posting inflammatory or offensive comments. This term can describe the action or describe the group who engages in this behavior: “trolls.”
• User Generated – Content created by users.
• Vanish Mode – A feature that lets people send disappearing messages, photos, videos and other content in Instagram chats. The content sent in vanish mode disappears when someone leaves the chat or turns vanish mode off.
• Virtual Reality – A digital environment that appears real but is computer-generated (a simulation). 

Funding for the Center of Excellence was made possible by Grant No. SM087180 from SAMHSA of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement by, SAMHSA/HHS or the US Government.