Social Media in 2023
Will it change or stay the same?
As we move into a new year, I’m contemplating what we should expect next in our ever-growing social media landscape.
At a Christmas Eve party, I listened to my extended family discuss social media and its meaning to them. The men and women at the table all shared different opinions.
Most of the men viewed “new” social media sites like Tik Tok as “dangerous.” A “foreign-controlled” entity that “is corrupting the mind of our kids.” The women in the group didn’t disagree with this idea, but they also said the application was one they would continue using in the next year.
I asked the oldest male at the party if he used social media. He told me, “Not at all.” I laughed a little and told him I thought he was lucky.
As a communication scholar, I found this conversation interesting. I listened intently while remaining somewhat objective. I use social media every day. I recognize the value of tools like this. I am also aware of the downsides.
Social media did not exist when I was a kid. I was born in the early 80s. I have watched the internet evolve from a “cool new idea” to a major part of our lives. Social media did the same.
