Director Lee Rainie discusses the Pew Internet Project’s latest research findings on people’s use of social media (social networking sites, blogs, Twitter, YouTube, and, yes, even email) and how technology has affected some of the ways people learn, make decisions, and seek and offer social support to others. He and sociologist Barry Wellman describe this as a “new social operating system,” and Lee highlights the ways in which those who use participatory media are changing how communities of all kinds form and perform. More information about the event is available at the University of Minnesota’s website, and you can watch the talk online at https://umconnect.umn.edu/lee_rainie-sem.