Social Networking: What’s next?
I know quite a few people nowadays that have a completely new morning routine. Even before the usual cup of coffee they are logging into Facebook, MySpace, Bebo – you name it! And I am not talking about kids, no, they are serious and mature adults. Somehow they are getting hooked (or, just maybe, ARE being made “hooked”) into some sort of large and busy “platform”, which reminds me of a rush-hour train station with all the mumbling, currents, colours, conversations, arguments… But train approaches and the station is getting deserted, silently and grimly waiting for a new lot to slowly flow-in through the doors. If you think, even the advertising on the “walls” of the websites is similar to what you would usually find in the Underground…
Conspiracy theories? Maybe… Someone has the logs of all messages, timing, people, IPs. Do you think these logs are being discarded every night? I don’t. But there is definitely more than just surveillance and advertising. And there is something definitely wrong about all this. To see what is wrong we should understand how it is evolving. I do remember first “sprout” of the future monstrosity – FriendsReunited. It was a very good move, something like having a school reunion but not once every ten years, but daily. It was all about “Do you remember”, “I would never say that”, “Do you know where she is now”. But reunions are fun because they are rare. Daily reunion gets people bored pretty soon and they move on. So his majesty – the content (dialogs, discussions, letters) should be overturned and a new power emerge. And a name of this new power is – look. Yes, now people should care how everything looks, not what it is all about. Skins, “walls”, graffiti, “loves”, presents – designed to globalise, standardise and destroy the content. But what about ads? Ads thrive, because ad is also all about looks. Very strong marketing move, millions of kids and adult-alikes are rushing to join the globalised “look at me” world of new and improved Web 2 technology.
So what’s next? I am not pretending to know the absolute truth, but I know one thing, the end of this globalisation is programmed in the globalisation itself. Human brain has limits of flashiness. Remember, when we were kids every new colourful toy was attracting all our attention? The same is here; YouTube would eventually get replaced by WeTube or TheyTube… Toys are getting old; technology struggles to create new and more sophisticated toys to spice-up your journey. But don’t forget, the whole place still remains a … train station, and stations are anything but cosy or useful (except for taking a train).
I believe everything goes in circles and slowly the globalisation of Web 2 would take a U-turn. Smaller, but much more content reach and highly specialised Web 2 communities should start emerging. Communities, where the members would be responsible for building-up their own space and making it more home-alike. Communities based on profession, hobbies, interests, you name it. Places, where people know each other, respect opinions and want to progress. Maybe something similar to the old CompuServe chats and forums, I don’t know. But the time of toys is limited, and if adults do play with them, it is only because they didn’t find anything more interesting or rewarding to do.
Mike
P.S. Well, to be honest, I even put an experimental website which, time permitting, I want to turn into such community – http://www.programmers.org.uk. This might work, or might not. Maybe the time (or serious money pouring into marketing) is still favouring globals, but who knows…
P.P.S. Please, don’t take this as a serious scientific article (I have no time for it now) but more as a short essay.
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