This was my response to the exact same argument you have presented, although the other person was considerate enough to not include any personal attacks in his commentary to me.

I haven’t made up anything, I am simply using the definition of “social media” precisely.

In the same way, Reddit and Lemmy are categorized as social media because they share some elements traditionally associated with social media platforms. These elements are similar to features found on Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, but are far more limited and only loosely resemble them.

The primary focus of platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok is to promote interaction and connection between users, often through real-world identities rather than anonymity. On the other hand, interactions on Reddit and Lemmy are almost exclusively anonymous and not necessarily encouraged as a central function of the platform.

By your definition, nearly anything could qualify as social media as long as it involves media and some capacity for correspondence. This broad and vague categorization dilutes the meaning of the term, making it less useful as a precise descriptor.

For this reason, I do not consider platforms like Reddit and Lemmy to be social media.