Social Media Basics - Join groups and pages, forums and clubs

Social networks allow people to share their interests and communicate with each other in order to form online groups, clubs and forums.

If you have a specific hobby or interest you can join an online group and meet lots of like-minded people. These are areas of social media websites where people have set up pages to share their interest in a certain hobby or subject. You can send messages, comment, post photos and videos and arrange events, all in relation to your specific area of interest.

You can set up or join groups and pages about whatever you like. It could be about a hobby or a sport or Italian cookery. There are groups entirely devoted to a specific film or book, fictional character or actor. You can send messages to other people in the group in just the same way you do with your friends.

One thing you should remember is that, unlike your personal profile and network of friends, the groups and forums you join are public spaces accessible to anyone. They’re not the best place to reveal personal information.