The Evolution of Social Media
We live in an age of social media. According to Pew Research Center, approximately 60% of adults in advanced economies use social networking sites. In emerging economies, it’s 53%. But where did social media come from, and where is it going? That’s what I intend to discuss in today’s post.
In my last post, I discussed why I deleted my Google+ account. Privacy advocates have been emboldened as a result of last year’s negative impact of social media data usage by the top social websites including Facebook and Google. The news of such events as Cambridge Analytica is what led to Google announcing it would be shutting down Google+ in April of this year. But the rise of this data usage itself corresponds to the rise of social media itself along with the technology that allows for invasive corporate espionage. As I write this, I am aware of the emerging voices that remain hopeful of less spying and personal data breaches in social media going forward even as I remain aware that the technology that makes it happen continues to be improved upon. It makes one wonder, what is to become of the social media of tomorrow?
A Brief History of the Rise of Online Social Media
Most internet history buffs today would point to a website called Six Degrees as the first online social media website. Launched in 1997, users were able…
