From Friends To Feeds: What Happened To Social Media?

When social media first came on the scene, it seemed to offer fresh ways for us to gather together ways that bade fair to create communities and meaningful dialogues among ourselves. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter opened up new arenas in the digital sphere where family members could congregate visually or readers share things that might amuse them at dinner or take their mind off the shops. The vision was simple and yet hopeful: social media would bring people closer together.

Today, things are different. Many now ask if social media is “social” at all, or just another broadcasting trough the equivalent of television as opposed to a telephone. It's a space for consuming information rather than forming personal bonds with others who meet there too x% of the time.

The change is visible even in our feeds. Rather than prioritizing getting close to someone and chatting without hindrance, social media is increasingly being interrupted by sponsored posts, influencer operations and having content curated along algorithms for engagement points like clicks, favorites or shares. These algorithms tend to make users scroll down the page, which of course means they think about what appeals most to keep you looking and clicking. This can result in sensational or amusing or even purely promotional material, rather than content that reflects our interests and environment.

This development turns up challenges as well as opportunities for marketers and businesses. On the one hand, social media platforms offer unprecedented access to segmented audiences plus space for data-driven targeting: it makes brand exposure and customer acquisition more efficient than ever before. But when so much social-thread relies on paid advertising and algorithmic strength, engagement might become shallow. Lots of people vertices rather than proper conversations or real consumer loyalty.

Ordinary users often feel these changes too. The whole affair of social media may begin to appear more like a trade: lacking the warmth and sociability that characterises guest rounds at someone's home or after-dinner conversation. For people who seek authenticity and real connections, this can be off-putting. Locating the bad actor in this network that is to say, we need clarity on what we want and prioritise as Facebook's overlord and tenants.

Moving forward, the future of social media depends on finding ways to authentically engage with stories that are sincere and human centred. If brands, creators and users are able to do this again, the promise of social platforms can be fulfilled—they can connect people genuinely and naturally not just serve as marketing bullhorns.

As we talk about people politely and exchange opinions respectfully, we become grateful in a certain way for each other. Properly executed, social media still functions as a powerful tool to create trust and foster relationships that exceed the limitations of technology.

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(Disclaimer: This content is for the sole purpose of teaching and learning at Edith Cowan University and has not been endorsed or otherwise approved by the organisation it promotes.).

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