Analysis of the Functionalities of Open-Source Social Media for Academic Use

Abstract

Social media spaces nowadays have millions of users around the world and have become essential tools for analysis at different levels and in different fields, including education. With several open-source options for a social media platform, it is difficult to choose one for an academic environment. Therefore, this study was conducted to analyse open-source social media of an educational nature, making a comparison of some functionalities. For this purpose, a broad search for open-source social networks for academic purposes was conducted, using selection criteria. Subsequently, a mixed methodological approach with an explanatory scope was used in an analysis of the 10 selected open-source social networks, in which 25 functionalities were analysed. The functionalities were those that generated the most interest and knowledge in the academic community. The functionalities were established as variables and grouped into six categories to facilitate the comparison of the social networks, which is an additional result for this study. Finally, considering the results of the comparison of the different functionalities, the network that was found to be the most advisable was HumHub.