Write a research paper describing a current or future use for analysis of big data. The term big data refers to the vast amounts of data being generated from such sources as social media, real-world s

RUNNING HEAD: BIG DATA IN SOCIAL MEDIA 1

Big Data in Social Media

By definition, Big Data can simply be termed as voluminous data. In more specific definitions, it can be termed as that which is large, complex and fast and a s a result, is not in a position to be processed using the typical traditional methods of data processing. The volume, variety, velocity, variability and veracity are used in the categorizing of data as big data. With the development in technology, and the continued incorporation of these technological sources into our day to day lives, the collected data through the Internet of Things among other information systems has resulted in big data (Ivanov, 2018). One such areas where Big data is found is in the social media platforms. As opposed to the olden days, currently, more and more people and companies are using social media daily to achieve their specific objectives and goals, it is estimated that social media platforms like Facebook produce data as big as 500+ terabytes in a s ingle day!

Most of these data in the social media are as a result of the videos, photos, messages and comments being shared across the media platforms. Not only do individuals use social media to keep in touch, but companies also use it in a concept called social media marketing. Through the media, and using big data analytics, companies are able to map out consumer behavior through what they like and what they share (Nicora, 2019). They use these platforms to reach their target audiences and at the same time use them to get feedback from their clients. As a result, the amount of data from social media platforms is not only voluminous, it is also heterogenous in the sense that it contains both nominal and numeral values from different places, it is variable in that it has unpredictable flow, it is fast because it is collected in real time. This qualifies the data to be Big Data and requires big data analytics to process.

References

Ivanov I. (2018) What is Big Data Analytics on Social Media? Iocowise. Retrieved from https://locowise.com/blog/what-is-big-data-analytics-on-social-media

Nicora R. (2019) How is big data impacting social media? Medium. Retrieved from https://medium.com/dative-io/how-is-big-data-impacting-social-media-df31aa3f66f6