The Fragmentation of Online Identity — The End of Big Social Media?
Facebook, TikTok, and Twitter have been connecting users with brands and influencers for some time. However, users are now turning to smaller social networks to restore a sense of community. This shift in social media usage has implications for large networking companies and digital interaction among people.
The Corporatization of Social Media
Facebook started as a site for college students to stay in touch, and Twitter was a platform for posting about breakfast. Instagram was for sharing photos among friends. However, Instagram and Facebook are now full of ads and sponsored posts. At the same time, TikTok and Snapchat have videos from influencers promoting various products.
The focus of extensive social networks has shifted towards connecting people with brands rather than with each other, leading some users to seek community-oriented sites. In addition, social media is becoming less social as the most powerful platforms have become increasingly “corporatized.” Instead of seeing posts from friends and family about their lives, users now often view professional content from brands and influencers who pay for placement.
Some social networking companies are exploring new avenues of business due to this shift. For example, Twitter is pushing people and brands to become subscribers, while Meta is moving into the immersive online world of the metaverse.
Smaller Social Networks
Some users gravitate towards smaller, more focused sites instead of spending all their time on one or a few extensive social networks. Examples of these smaller sites include Mastodon, a Twitter clone divided into communities; Nextdoor, a social network for neighbors to discuss local issues; and Truth Social, started by former President Donald J. Trump and are viewed as a social network for conservatives.
Smaller networks like Mastodon or Reddit often act as a gateway to smaller communities, including those related to gaming, food, activism, film, and the L.G.B.T.Q. Community in countries around the Persian Gulf where being gay is deemed illegal.
Ahwaa, founded in 2011, is a social network for members of the L.G.B.T.Q. Community in countries around the Persian Gulf where being gay is deemed illegal. Other small networks, like Letterboxd, an app for film enthusiasts to share their opinions on movies, focus on special interests.
The Future of Social Networking
Ethan Zuckerman, a professor of public policy at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, says the future of social networking is not about choosing one network to rule them all but rather is a member of dozens of different communities.
Technologists and academics have also focused on smaller social networks, as outlined in a paper published last month titled “The Three-Legged Stool: A Manifesto for a Smaller, Denser Internet” by Ethan Zuckerman and other academics. They suggested the creation of an app that essentially acts as a Swiss Army knife of social networks by allowing people to switch among the sites they use, including Twitter, Mastodon, Reddit, and smaller networks. One such app, Gobo and developed by M.I.T. Media Lab and the University of Massachusetts Amherst, is set for release next month.
The idea that a new social media site might come along to be the one app for everyone appears unrealistic as young people move on to the next one after experimenting with a new network. People’s online identities will become increasingly fragmented among multiple sites. For talking about professional accomplishments, there’s LinkedIn. For playing video games with fellow gamers, there’s Discord. For discussing news stories, there’s Artifact.
Social media is in a state of flux. The big players have shifted their focus towards corporate interests, causing users to turn to smaller networks to regain a sense of community. While some companies are exploring new business avenues, others are looking to create a Swiss Army knife of social networks. Technologists and academics also focus on smaller social networks, which can act as a gateway to more niche communities. Ultimately, it seems that people’s online identities will become increasingly fragmented across multiple sites, each catering to different interests and needs. As we move forward, it will be interesting to see how social media continues to evolve and adapt to changing user needs and preferences.
