RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is a family of web feed formats used to publish frequently updated works – such as blog entries, news headlines, audio and video – in a standardized format. An RSS document – which is referred to as a "feed" – includes full or summarized text, plus metadata such as publishing dates and authorship. Web feeds benefit online users who want to subscribe to timely updates from favored websites or to aggregate feeds from many sites into one place. RSS feeds can be read using software called an "RSS reader” or "feed reader" – which can be web-based, desktop-based or mobile device-based. An online user subscribes to a feed by entering into the reader and by clicking an RSS icon in a browser that initiates the subscription process.