Let’s picture this: you wake up and the first thing you do in the morning isn’t getting out of bed; instead, you start your day by checking your phone and then spend the entire day glued to it. Sounds a little too relatable? Even if we like it or not, we're all guilty of being addicted to our devices. We’re so hooked that our lives revolve around all these screens, scrolling, swiping, and liking. Now, social media, invented originally as a tool to reach out to friends, has turned into a tremendous ecosystem. This means that Instagram, Facebook, and so on are no longer mere apps; they take over our real, everyday lives. Nevertheless, have you ever thought about where this whole social media mania is headed? Let us take a look into the future. First things first, we will start by talking about how platforms have evolved. We all used to know Facebook as the platform where we shared birthday posts and random updates.
Nowadays, it is a giant marketplace, news source, or even a battleground for politics. Instagram was just for sharing pictures, and now it has become a platform with an entire influencer culture. Although tik-tok is banned in our country, it has completely changed how we consume content. 30-second videos on Youtube and Instagram now rule our attention spans! All our social handles are now powerful tools for business, activism, and self-expression. Yet the thing is, we are about to move into something much bigger. Social media is not just about scrolling through posts like it was before. Now the future belongs to hyperpersonalization. Algorithms would know you better than you know yourself. Scary? Maybe. Nevertheless, the reality is that platforms will start to predict our every need. You won't have to find content; it will find you. The change that will really put artificial intelligence and machine learning into practice is the one that changes our experience of social media. In no time, our social media experiences are going to be more tailored and customised than ever before.
Another interesting thing emerging is the metaverse. I know, it sounds like it is right out of a sci-fi movie, right? It is indeed. Popular companies such as Meta (i.e., Facebook) are investing in virtual reality spaces where people can interact as avatars. Imagine attending a concert or a class in the virtual scenario while actually feeling like you are there, crazy, right? What once only existed in our phones will soon become our living space.
Next comes the shift towards decentralisation. What does it mean? Mainstream platforms such as Meta, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are owned and controlled by big companies as of now. However, with this incoming blockchain technology and Web 3.0, we are headed towards a model that puts more control of one's data and content into the hands of the users themselves instead of the companies. It is like taking power away from the big companies and giving it back to the users. This is already being experimented upon on platforms like Mastodon. So, social media will evolve not only in terms of experience but ownership as well.
Moreover, there are NFTs, meaning non-fungible tokens. NFTs represent ownership over any form of digital assets—from art to music or even memes! Tokens make it possible for people to buy, sell, and trade digital content across multiple platforms. Instead of just "liking" a post, you might really own a piece of digital culture.
In this fast-changing world, it's fascinating to think about where we might be in five years from now. I have to admit I find it really exciting to consider what's coming; however, we also need to address the elephant in the room. Social media has already been criticised for being so full of information that it hinders our ability to function, also triggering anxiety, addiction, and many more. This will blur the lines between the digital and real worlds even further. There is a possibility that social media will become more invasive in our lives. So users need to establish healthy boundaries. Regulations around data privacy and digital well-being will become important as we enter this new landscape.
With all these new technologies that continue to emerge, we still have much hope for very real, positive change. The challenge with these platforms will be in making sure that they continue to be spaces of genuine connection and not isolation, creativity and not conformity. Social media will do wonders for us if used mindfully. We just need to figure out how to balance things out. After all, just like any tool, it’s how we use it that ultimately defines its value.
-Chaitralee Indore
It is said, "When a person departs, they take pieces of the souls of all their loved ones.."
Last month, Vaadasabha lost one of its dearest members, Chaitralee Indore. She was a tranquil person, an exceptional writer, and an extraordinary speaker. A benevolent soul, her absence has deeply impacted every member of our family and will continue to do so forever. As a poignant accolade, I present the blog she wrote a month before her demise.
Om Shanti🙏🏻