As I continue to look up information about my topic to become more insightful on the subject, I came across the following CNN article: (http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/01/26/has.twitter.peaked/index.html), which discusses how Twitter has peaked in terms of hits. The social networking site differentiated itself from Facebook and Myspace by capitalizing the popularity of text messages, letting people write brief “tweets,” or comments about their mundane activities in 160 characters or less. Despite Twitter losing hits, Facebook is supposedly the most visited website, surpassing Google in terms of unique hits: (http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9171358/Facebook_hits_milestone_tops_Google_for_a_week)
But the saying goes, what goes up must come down. The articles made me wonder if social networking sites have reached their peak and will now go downhill, soon replaced by some other fad. It may be cool to set up a social networking page now to contact with friends, but there will always be people trying to innovate and create something new. Who knows if there will be an even more convenient way to communicate with people in years to come?
The CNN article made me wonder if I should consider Twitter a fad. It became really popular in 2009 because it was sort of like Facebook and Myspace, but now people see that they might as well just use Facebook or text messaging. Twitter’s success, which has reached its plateau, has reminded me of my childhood. During the 90s, it seemed like so many fads came in and out that I was moaning to my mother every week to buy me something “cool”. These fads included Pogs, Pokemon, Beanie Babies, and the over abundance of pop music. Because the article gave me a rush of nostalgia, I began to compare what was “in” when I was a child to social networking sites.
Unlike what was cool in the 90s to now, the popular things now are not tangible objects. I cannot buy a social networking site. Using a social networking site has no sense of ownership, as in I am only given the right to use the site by following the terms of agreement. The reason why I bring up the point that no monetary fee has to be paid in order to use the site is that it seems with other fads people come to the conclusion that spending so much money on certain items is a waste of money after a few months. For example, people spent hundreds of dollars on certain Beanie Babies, thinking they would no longer be manufactured, only for the business to be bought out and continue making the stuffed animals. Whereas people could have put the Beanie Babies on Ebay and sell some for over a hundred dollars (eg. Princess Diana one), now they can be bought for less than ten.
I have come to the conclusion that social networking sites will not die out for this reason. There is no monetary loss in joining one and because the sites are not tangible objects, people can easily close and open new accounts as they please. The only thing a person would be wasting is his or her time.
Besides this point, the other reason why I believe social networking sites won’t die out is that companies have embraced them. They have used the sites as a way to communicate with their audience. My previous blog entry is an example of how companies have incorporated social networking sites to market products to their target audience.
Perhaps, then, its wrong to call social networking sites a fad, especially when I’m arguing how they won’t die out. While the sites may have started as a fad, I believe they have evolved to the point where they have been implemented with our culture, such as phones now coming with mobile Facebook/Twitter/etc… applications. Furthermore, as long as there are people who want to communicate with others, then using a social networking site will be a viable option. The only way in which I see the sites dying out is if they pull some stunt where they try to charge people to access the site, such as Friendster. Wait… What’s Friendster?
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You bring up a very interesting thought—are social networking sites a mere fad? I'd have to say that I DO NOT think that the use of social networking sites, in general, will die out any time soon. Simply because such sites are convenient and effective mediums for communication, advertising, meeting new people, expressing yourself, etc. However, I DO think that specific social networking sites are fads. Once a new and perceived to be better site is developed and popularized, without hesitation, people abandon the old site and become hooked to the new one. A prime example is the transition from MySpace to Facebook. Once Facebook allowed people to sign up without a college email address, its membership soared and members gradually abandoned MySpace. Teenagers as well as adults enjoy the various applications Facebook has to offer. (If you notice, with its decline in popularity, MySpace began to add many of the same Facebook applications to regain it’s stance in the social networking world—but it didn't quite work!) Similarly, among people I know, the preference is Twitter; they intermittently log onto their Facebook accounts.
ReplyDeleteAs you mentioned, the fact that many of these networking sites are free (because advertisers embrace and pay the owners) is what is going to keep these social networking sites alive and running. Essentially, people can create various accounts for various purposes. In the personal realm, people can link up with old classmates, find co-workers, and do online dating. Those that advertise for businesses and services, actually end up making money at no expense. In addition, as you mentioned, these site are not tangible objects; people can open and close accounts as they please, free of charge and hassle.
In essence, the benefits of social networking sites outweigh the negatives. Besides, we live in such a technologically advanced society. People are constantly developing and inventing ways to enhance things. Thus, such sites will not die out—they will only improve! I would not be surprised if in the next decade, people no longer used telephones!
I think that your analysis of whether or not social networking sites are fador not is an interesting topic of conversation. As you said, Facebook has been completely integrated into society with the sit being made available as an app on smartphones and ipads. The phenomenon shows absolutely no signs of slowing, but in my opinion thats what makes a fad a fad. The absolute domincance of the item during its shelflife is the defining characteristic in categorizing these things as fads. And as with many fads in the past, there is no telling what will happen to them in the future. I do not believe right now that facebook will lose its absurd popularity anytime soon, but who knows when some other site will come along and improve on the things that some consider faults with regards to facebook. Maybe a site will arise which consists of many subdivisions; one for businesses, one for singles, one for nightlife, one for job searches, etc.; each with its own social networking advantage, and people will slowly begin to feel that this site has beaten facebook at its own game? Years ago, MySpace was at the pinnacle of the online social networking world, and suddenyl facebook came along and rendered MySpace for the history books overnight.
ReplyDeleteAgain, I believe that facebook has set the bar very high in the online social networking field. I also believe that too many people use, love, and are maybe even a little bit addited to the site for it to disappear in a MySpace-esque manner. I know personally I sometimes find myself on facebook without even remembering wanting to visit the site. But at the same time, I think that it is impossibe to predict what may come of facebook. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.