When Did Social Media Stop Being Fun?
 |
| fistfuloftalent.com |
We can all date our relationship with social media back to a specific point. Some tried their best to avoid it before getting a Facebook account out of necessity, or a Twitter one to keep up with the news and others signed up to access a particular feature and just got sucked in. When I was first exposed to social media, it was MySpace, back around 2004 or so. Bebo came shortly after. Like a lot of other people, I was just following my friends, since without a MySpace I would have had no clue what anybody was talking about at school the following day. There was another aspect to it though: it was fun.
That might sound like a bit of a bizarre statement in this day and age - the idea of social media being fun, but it honestly was. The novelty of uploading pictures, posting on the notice board (the nearest thing to a status update at the time), comment conversations, fiddling around with your profile theme, picking the right music, all of that stuff was part of a viable, enjoyable pass time. It was still a distraction, but it had as much validity as playing a video game or watching TV. 'What did you do last night?' 'I just went on MySpace for a while'.
People don't even say that any more, you 'check' Facebook or Twitter but you're never 'on' or 'off' it, those platforms are kind of eternal, you just have them on tick-over in the background and glance over them every 10 minutes. Growing up is, of course, an intrinsic part of it. If you look at the platforms that kids and teens are most drawn to like Snapchat and Vine, they are principally aimed at just messing around. Facebook feels a lot more serious, it feels like a necessity. MySpace never felt like that, it was never a primary line of communication, that was what MSN was for.
It goes beyond that though, the dynamic of social media at large has morphed from a thing that we want to a thing that we need. It's not about enjoying it, it's just a part of life, a branch of wider communication. Think about it, you never see a phone call being marketed as a fun thing to do, it would be weird if you did. Phone calls are an accepted aspect of everyone's lives, they don't need to be novel. Social media is in the same boat now. When it is marketed, it's more about you enjoying life and then talking about it online later, or organising things through social media, rather than dedicating yourself to it. Social lubricant, so to speak.
The other side to it is marketing. Before, social media marketing was isolated to the people who ran the platforms, music, film, TV, events promotion and some online shopping. It was all kind of on the edge of figuring itself out, and it was easy to ignore. Now, the marketing side of social media is vast and so pivotal to many businesses that you simply cannot get away from it. Having a certain number of followers used to be gratifying only in the most tertiary sense, now it could actually factor into getting a new job. Nobody would have have paid money to get into a top friends list on MySpace but people bid obscene amounts to get followed by popular Twitter accounts.
 |
| hypebeast.com |
Callum Davies
Callum is a film school graduate who is now making a name for himself as a journalist and content writer. His vices include flat whites and 90s hip-hop. Follow him @CallumAtSMF
When Did Social Media Stop Being Fun?
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Friday, July 31, 2015
Rating:
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Friday, July 31, 2015
Rating:
Unknown
Keeping you up to date on social media, digital marketing, apps, news & reviews. Social media, and digital marketing as a whole, are rapidly and constantly changing, adapting to new developments at an ever increasing rate. Just keeping up to date can be a nightmare. Our team of writers know their field, and keep an ear to the ground. We aim to keep you informed of all recent developments in the online world, and teach you a little something along the way. So whether you just want to stay connected, or gain some knowledge for yourself, the Social Songbird will keep on singing! More articles are posted every day so keep checking back! Join the discussion on Twitter - #SocialSongbird Or contact us directly - @SocialSongbird_
Entrepreneur, international speaker on Social Media Marketing. First one in the UK to write and speak in conferences about Twitter as a marketing tool. Consultant to Corporate Companies, Government Organizations, Marketing Managers and Business Owners.
Aspiring novelist with a passion for fantasy and crime thrillers. He hopes to one day drop that 'aspiring' prefix. He started as a writer and soon after he was made Executive Editor and Manager of the team at Social Songbird. A position he held for 5 years.
Adrienne is a passionate writer with experience in editing, content creation, and social media marketing. She’s a lover of animals, helping others improve their writing, and 2000s pop culture.
Musician, audio technician, professional tutor and a Cambridge university English student. Interested in writing, politics and obsessed with reading.
Recently graduated with a BA in English Literature from the University of Exeter, and he is about to study an MA in Journalism at the University of Sheffield. He is an aspiring journalist and novelist; in his free time he enjoys playing chess, listening to music and taking long walks through nature.
Lucy is an undergraduate BSc Politics and International Relations student at the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Anna Coopey is a 4th year UG student in Classics at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. She is a keen writer and researcher on a number of topics, varying from Modern Greek literature to revolutionary theory.
Ellie is a recent BA English Literature graduate and aspiring publisher with a passion for writing. Her favourite pastimes include reading and shopping.