The Evolving Social Media

Over my lifetime I have already seen just how much social media has evolved. New features and sites are created all the time. New way to access them have changed how we use social media and influenced new ones. Social media isn't all good or all bad. It has potential to do good and bad. Social media has affected the lives of so many people from the young to the old.

For me social media started with AOL's instant messenger. It was very basic compared to today's social medias. You could make a written profile about yourself and IM your friends. As the next social media came around, MySpace, it became more personalized. You could customize your profile to represent who you were, what your likes and dislikes were. Now we have different social medias that are specific for posting, pictures, videos, sharing, dating, and many others. 

Many people can see all this as intrusive into the lives of others but I think that if someone is willingly putting their video, picture or thoughts out there its meant to be seen by others. Most people are using it to connect with others. It could be connecting with new people or your friends that you already have. Its every individual's choice whether they want to look at something so that isn't intrusive but then again you don't always have a say about what gets posted. There is a responsibility to using social media and there are consequences too. If you post something hurtful or malicious then everyone can see that including your parents, friends, and potential employers. People should know that not everyone is comfortable with being put out there for every one else to see. 

One time in which I saw social media used in a positive way was for someone I went to high school with who got cancer. Some good friends of his started a Facebook page for him and tried to raise money for his treatments as well as to just give him support. It was great to see so many people were able to connect through the page. Connecting through a social media allows for so many people to get involved and in this case show support. People would post or share positive things to the page for him to be able to read. Social media offered a great way to raise awareness and money.

The future of social media is one that will always be changing. As technology changes social media changes. People will always be looking for what is next or what is new. I think social media will be a part of everyone's life. I think they will continue to be more a part of our school, work and social life every day. Maybe one day in the future all business will be done through social media or college will be held entirely online or everyone will find the person they are going to marry through some online social media site.