The Evolution of Social Media: Splitting Into Social and Media
Rex Woodburydigitalnative.substack.com
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The Evolution of Social Media: Splitting Into Social and Media
The first is more social than media. It’s driven by a backlash to performative, status-seeking social media: people want to spend quality time online with close friends and family. This means less Facebook and Instagram and more WhatsApp and Messenger.
Rex Woodbury • The Evolution of Social Media: Splitting Into Social and Media
In the early days of social media, our online identities were separate from our real-world identities. On AIM, we were soccergirl7; Kim Kardashian’s Myspace name was Princess Kimberly.
Rex Woodbury • The Evolution of Social Media: Splitting Into Social and Media
The second is more media than social. It’s driven by AI-powered and network-driven platforms that allow people to discover creativity, learning, and connection online. TikTok is an early iteration, untethered from a social graph and letting strangers connect across the globe.
Rex Woodbury • The Evolution of Social Media: Splitting Into Social and Media
In the mid-2000s, Facebook (along with the now-defunct Friendster) had the idea to use our actual identities online. Now, our real-world friends could find us online
Rex Woodbury • The Evolution of Social Media: Splitting Into Social and Media
I see Social Media 3.0 bifurcating this decade: people will gravitate toward small group or 1-to-1 messaging, while also gravitating toward broad, 1-to-many platforms.