Like most social media users, I’ve come to terms by now with the fact that they’re constantly redesigning and updating and adding new features in attempt to keep their product from stagnating. Maybe it’s unnecessary; I kind of feel like Facebook is a well-established staple in our lives at this point. Most of us are self-proclaimed addicts. And once the initial sting from adapting to a redesign wears off and we become accustomed to the changes, I find it difficult to recall what the interface was like previously. Honestly, I don’t remember at all what Facebook was like circa 2006 when I joined the site. That’s pretty weird, right? Especially since most of the changes seemed so drastic at the time.
But Timeline, which I’ve recently swapped over to willingly to prevent the shock from having my profile forcibly updated, is an altogether new monster of the Internet. And I believe that the implications it presents set the stage for another digital shift in the way people share and interact online, especially for parents and their children. Because Timeline is programmed to document and display your entire life from birth, it seems as though parents now have the option to jumpstart their child’s online presence. I personally feel no need to go back on my Timeline and add milestones because it seems a daunting and unnecessary task. But, with the opportunity to start from the beginning, it would really be effortless to keep up. And when the child reaches an appropriate age, parents could pass the profile onto their child for moderation, like a digital rite of passage.
What would be the bigger deal to a child in the 21st century? A big party like a bar mitzvah or quinceañera or having control of your online presence?
And if parents really embrace this idea, as I suspect in the future they will given how each generation becomes increasingly plugged in to the digitized world, how is this going to change the landscape of human interaction? Studies already suggest that kids are affected, both positively and negatively, by social media. On one hand, sites like Facebook promote virtual empathy and can boost self esteem. Every time someone likes your photo or responds compassionately to a downer status update, there’s an uplifting response for both parties. These sites also help introverted individuals better their social skills through practice and peer feedback. But on the other hand, excessive social media use is linked to exacerbating narcissism, anxiety and depression. There are also pros and cons concerning multitasking and engaging learning versus distraction.
But Facebook has only been around for seven years. In the grand scheme of things, that’s no time at all, not substantial enough to observe the longterm effects. I wonder, then, what we’ll learn about ourselves after 20, 30 or 50 years of using social media. I also wonder if Facebook will endure to become a legacy company. The Internet landscape changes so rapidly, that we don’t really see a lot of websites sticking around and remaining relevant.
In any case, we certainly do live in interesting times. It’ll be fun (hopefully) to watch the global status update over the next few decades.
