How to Cite MLA Social Media Citations

• Matthew McHaffie (Ph.D.)
• Published on 10/26/2023
• Updated on12/25/2023

Social media has become a powerful force in shaping our world, and as a result, it has found its way into academic research. This comprehensive guide aims to shed light on the art of properly citing social media content in accordance with the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation style. Whether you’re working on a research paper, essay, or any scholarly work, understanding how to cite social media sources is an essential skill that ensures the integrity of your research and your commitment to acknowledging the contributions of others.

ELEMENTS USED FOR CITING SOCIAL MEDIA

The MLA Handbook provides guidelines for citing various types of social media content, taking into account the dynamic nature of online platforms. To create accurate and consistent citations for social media, you should consider the following elements:

AUTHOR DETAILS

Start by identifying the author’s full name if available. If the author is an individual user, provide their real name. If it’s an organization or a page, use their official name.

Example: If the tweet is by Elon Musk, use Elon Musk. For a Facebook post by NASA, use NASA.

THE TITLE OF THE POST

Include the title of the social media post within quotation marks. For tweets and status updates, this is the text of the post itself.

Example: If a tweet reads “Starship SN20 lands on Mars”, a historic day for humanity, put this text within quotation marks.

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM

Clearly mention the name of the social media platform in italics where the content was published (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn).

Example: If the content is from Twitter, include Twitter.

DATE OF THE POST

Use the day, month, and year (in that order) to provide the publication date of the social media post. If the date is not available, use n.d. for no date.

Example: If a tweet was posted on November 15, 2022, write 15 Nov. 2022.

URL 

Provide the direct URL to the specific post, if it’s publicly accessible. For private posts, use the URL of the user’s profile or the page where the content was published.

Example: If the post has a unique URL, include it, such as https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/789012.

Now, let’s break down the process for citing various social media content.

CITING X POST

For post (formerly tweets), include the author’s name and X handle if available, the post’s text in quotation marks, specify X as the platform, provide the post’s date, time and the URL. 

Screen Name [@handle]. “The entire post word-for-word.” X, Day Month Year of Post, Time of Post, URL.

Example: Elon Musk. “Starship SN20 lands on Mars, a historic day for humanity.” X, 15 Nov. 2022, 1:30 p.m., https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/123456.

CITING FACEBOOK POSTS

To cite a Facebook post, start with the author’s name, enclose the post text in quotation marks, state the platform as Facebook, mention the post’s date and add the post’s URL.

Author’s Name. “Title of the Post.” Facebook, Date, URL.

Example: Mark Zuckerberg. “Announcing new privacy settings.” Facebook, 20 May 2022, https://www.facebook.com/zuck/posts/789012.

CITING INSTAGRAM POSTS

When citing an Instagram post, begin with the author’s name (if available), place the post’s text in quotation marks, label the platform as Instagram, indicate the post’s date and include the URL of the post.

Author’s Name (if available). “Title of the Post.” Instagram, Date, URL.

Example: @natgeotravel. “Breathtaking sunset over the Grand Canyon.” Instagram, 5 Sep. 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/123456/. 

CITING YOUTUBE VIDEOS

For YouTube videos, begin with the author’s name (if available), place the video’s title in quotation marks, mention the platform as YouTube, provide the username of the person or entity who uploaded the video, specify the video’s upload date and provide the video’s URL.

Author’s Name (if available). “Title of the Video.” YouTube, uploaded by, Day Abbreviated Month Year, URL.

Example: CrashCourse. “The History of the Internet.” YouTube, uploaded by CrashCou, 2 Oct. 2022, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=123456.

CITING LINKEDIN POSTS

To cite LinkedIn posts, start with the author’s name, enclose the post text in quotation marks, identify the platform as LinkedIn, state the post’s date and include the post’s URL.

Author’s Name. “Title of the Post.” LinkedIn, Date, URL.

Example: Sheryl Sandberg. “Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace.” LinkedIn, 8 Jul. 2022, https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sherylsandberg/123456.

CITING REDDIT POSTS

When citing Reddit posts, begin with the author’s name (if available), place the post title in quotation marks, specify Reddit as the platform, mention the post date and provide the URL to the post.

Author’s Name (if available). “Title of the Post.” Reddit, Date, URL.

Example: u/scienceenthusiast. “New Study Reveals Breakthrough in Quantum Computing.” Reddit, 12 Apr. 2022, https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/123456.

In Closing

In this guide, we’ve delved into the nuances of crafting MLA citations for various social media platforms, covering tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram photos, YouTube videos, LinkedIn articles, and Reddit discussions. By following these detailed steps and descriptions, you can create accurate MLA citations for various types of social media content, ensuring proper attribution and credibility in your academic writing.

Explore a range of features offered by TypeCite’s citation generator, including MLA citation for books, webpages and journals, as well as APA citation for webpages.