In this blog post, I’ll explain the characteristics of SNS, focusing on its definition, how it differs from social media, its relationship with blogs and messaging apps, and its role as a platform.

What is the difference between SNS and social media?

SNS stands for “Social Network Service” and refers to community-based websites whose primary purpose is to build and maintain online connections. Representative examples include international services like Facebook and Twitter, as well as Cyworld in Korea. Users post and share text, photos, and videos to maintain existing connections or expand their social circles.
Social media is a concept contrasted with mass media; it refers to media that is created and disseminated through interaction, where the boundary between producers and consumers is not clearly defined. Unlike mass media—such as newspapers, where a specific organization creates and unilaterally disseminates articles—blogs, comments, and video sharing fall under social media because content is created and disseminated through the participation of many users.
SNS and social media often overlap and are used interchangeably, but strictly speaking, SNS is a subset of social media. To use an analogy, just as the cattle industry includes restaurants and leather processing factories, the category of social media encompasses SNS, blogs, and UCC (user-generated content), each in its own way.

The Difference Between Blogs and SNS and the Increasingly Blurred Line

A blog is a space where individuals post articles based on their interests—much like an “online diary”—and share their content with a wide audience. The primary purpose of a blog is to disseminate articles or materials written by the individual. In contrast, while SNS is primarily intended for building and maintaining social connections, it often also serves the function of creating and disseminating content.
However, as platforms expand their features, the distinction between blogs and social media is becoming increasingly blurred. For example, Naver Blog allows frequent visitors to establish “neighbor” relationships, enabling the formation of online networks, and Facebook’s Timeline organizes user activity chronologically, providing a blog-like recording function. Conversely, many public figures use social media as a means to disseminate their personal content, spreading their posts or messages through connections with the general public.
Given this convergence of functions, rather than trying to categorize a service definitively as a blog or social media, it is more practical to consider the purpose for which each service is used and the features it offers.

Instant Messengers and Social Media: Inclusion and Distinction

The core function of instant messengers (IM) is to add people you already know as friends and exchange simple messages, photos, or videos. MSN Messenger and NateOn were prime examples. While IMs excel at strengthening existing relationships, their purpose differs from the definition of social media, which is fundamentally aimed at “building new online connections.”
Nevertheless, IM and SNS have borrowed and absorbed each other’s features. SNS platforms have incorporated IM-like features such as private messages and group chats, and conversely, there are cases where messenger services have expanded into SNS platforms. The mobile messenger KakaoTalk started as a simple messaging service but expanded its social features through KakaoStory, an SNS service based on a friends list. Daum’s MyPeople also attempted to expand its functionality from a messenger to an SNS.
The key point here is that the term “includes” does not necessarily imply a subordinate category. It is the same principle as how a game console is not a subordinate category of a smartphone simply because a smartphone includes gaming capabilities. IM functionality is one of the many features of a social networking service, incorporated as a means to achieve the service’s primary goal of building social connections.

The Platform Nature of SNS and Social Games

SNS goes beyond simply providing services to serve as a platform. A platform is a foundational system on which applications can run; to use an analogy, much like a train station platform, it allows users to access various services (trains) as long as they conform to its specifications. SNS provides basic functions such as text, photo, and video sharing, enabling a wide range of applications to be built on top of it.
A prime example is Facebook, which opened its platform in 2007 to allow external developers to create applications based on Facebook. As a result, numerous social games emerged; these games spread by leveraging users’ friendships and introduced competitive elements. A key feature of social games is that having more friends provides an advantage, creating a structure that naturally builds and strengthens online social networks through gameplay.
Mobile messaging apps have also integrated social games through platform strategies. Games like Anipang, which is linked to the KakaoTalk friend list, and those on the Line platform spread rapidly by making connections with friends a core element of the gaming experience. This approach demonstrates that social networking services (SNS) are not merely spaces for communication but ecosystems that enable a wide range of applications (such as games and services).

Conclusion: Why Is It Important to Understand Social Networking Services?

So far, we have summarized the definition of social networking services (SNS), their relationship with social media, comparisons with blogs and messengers, and their functions as platforms. The key point is that SNS are evolving beyond mere “friend management tools” into platforms that enable content creation, dissemination, and a wide range of applications.
Going forward, many online services will seek to incorporate social networking elements, and these changes will have a significant impact not only on how individuals communicate but also on marketing, culture, and the dissemination of information. Therefore, understanding the structure and functions of social networking services will be of great help in understanding and adapting to the digital environment of the future.