Social media must be taken seriously. It has become central to how we live, work and understand the world around us. Platforms such as X, TikTok, Instagram and WhatsApp shape not only what people see but also how they organise, express, consume and resist. We do not merely interact with social media; we are increasingly shaped by it. Even though social media plays such a big role in everyday life, academic research about it is still often scattered. It sits in separate disciplines, focuses more on data than meaning, and mostly reflects the thinking and priorities of the Global North. As a result, much of the research values scale over depth, metrics over meaning, and ease over complexity.
The Journal of Social Media (JSM) starts from a different position. We believe that social media is not just a topic to explore but a space where power moves, identities are formed, and futures are shaped. The JSM offers a platform for research that critically examines the realities, tensions and impacts of life in the digital age. We are multidisciplinary, not as a trend, but because it is necessary. To truly understand something as layered and fast-changing as social media, we need flexible theories and open-minded methods. We welcome research from a wide range of fields: sociology, psychology, media and communication, business, law, education, computer science, environmental studies, and more. We invite both practical and theoretical work, from computational studies of misinformation to personal accounts of digital struggle, from network analysis of climate activism to legal critiques of online platform policies.
The use of WhatsApp for contact tracing during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Africa is just one example. It cannot be understood without insights from behavioural psychology, public health, technology and political science. Similarly, research into influencer economies in Kenya, Nigeria and Brazil must look at working conditions, platform design, visual culture and colonial legacies.
What makes JSM different is its clear focus on the Global South. This is not just about adding a few extra voices; it is about shifting the centre of digital research. In places where infrastructure is limited, where many languages are spoken, where political freedom is contested, and where social inequality runs deep, social media works differently. These differences are not minor details; they offer essential insights that challenge how we currently think and research.
When activists in Myanmar use Facebook as their main source of news and communication or when informal traders in Lagos build international businesses on Instagram, these are not side stories. They are key to understanding the connections between technology, economy and politics today. The Journal of Social Media is a home for these voices and perspectives.
We also take ethics and methodology seriously. Too often, social media researchers have taken data without consent, treated online communities as study objects or repeated the same surveillance practices they claim to question. As platforms grow more complex and powerful, the responsibility of researchers grows with them. That is why JSM includes space for ethical and methodological reflection. We support research that not only uses digital tools but also questions how those tools work, who they exclude, and what structures they support. How do machine learning tools reflect racial or gender bias? What are the risks of studying vulnerable communities online, especially in politically repressive environments? These are not theoretical questions. They are essential to doing responsible and relevant research.
This journal is not about marking territory; it is about opening space for serious conversations. The blending of social life, politics and technology demands new ways of thinking. Our tools and discussions need to be as flexible and thoughtful as the systems we are trying to understand. For the JSM team, this journal is not just a professional project; it is deeply personal. We will work hard to ensure that JSM becomes a leading home for high-quality social media research. Not just a place to publish, but a space to influence the field. If the digital world is reshaping how we live, then our research must rise to meet that challenge. This journal is where that work begins.
I would like to thank our editorial board, a team of brilliant scholars from across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Americas and Oceania. Their generosity, insight and belief in this project have been inspiring. They bring not only deep knowledge but also a shared vision that social media deserves critical, inclusive and meaningful study.
I also want to thank our publishing partner, AOSIS. Their professionalism, clarity and commitment to academic quality have made this journey possible. I am equally grateful to our academic partners at The Independent Institute of Education (IIE), including Vega, MSA and Varsity College, and especially Dr Carla Enslin. Their belief in this journal and their support have given it strength and momentum.
Finally, my sincere thanks to Professor Charmaine du Plessis and Professor Mornay Roberts-Lombard. Their thoughtful reviews of the journal proposal helped shape and strengthen it. Their engagement reflects the kind of high-quality scholarship that JSM aims to support and celebrate.
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