In the world of Web 2.0, where anyone can create and share content and media on blogs, Flickr, YouTube, and social networking sites like Facebook, every reader is a writer, and those formerly in the audience are now the participants as well. But what does this nascent world of social media mean for the culture, public discourse, the media industry, and evolving social structures? This introductory class to social media will initially explore these questions by identifying and discussing the relevant media theories in which this newest form of media is rooted. We will then explore several key areas where social media is being played out and changing the status quo, including: the ways in which social media is creating and distributing new knowledge; the promise and perils of citizen or networked journalism, how the younger generation is changing the way information is perceived, located, and utilized--particularly through the use of social networks like FaceBook; emerging forms of social media activism, and how the social media phenomena is changing the media industry business as a whole.