The WhatsApp app logo is seen on a smartphone in this illustration. File
The digital landscape is in a seismic shift, a transformation that is unfolding in almost real-time. Twitter, a once-thriving social media giant, has seen a rapid downward spiral, more so since it fell into the hands of Elon Musk, who, many would agree, has only added fuel to its burning decline.
Similarly, Reddit, which was once thought to be the last refuge of the pure Internet, has turned on its users and developers in attempts to raise revenue. TikTok is soaring, albeit under the looming threat of bans, while Instagram has evolved into a full-fledged entertainment platform. As for Facebook, it's almost a ghost town now, at least for those under 30.
Why is all of this happening? It's a combination of many factors. The global economy has hit a rough patch. The era of almost unlimited and practically free capital, fuelled by persistently low interest rates in the US and other developed nations, seems to be at an end. Investors, once carefree, are now demanding actual returns. As a result, companies that prioritised growth at any cost are now compelled to generate profits. This is proving difficult for many social media platforms, leading to desperate attempts to innovate and chase after the scent of profitability.
Moreover, the AI revolution is disrupting these businesses. Large-scale language models developed by companies such as OpenAI and Google leverage data harvested from the open web. The previous advantage of freely available user content has now become a ticking time bomb; companies are scrambling to protect their data to capitalise on its value rather than letting AI firms scrape it for free.
Much of Reddit's turmoil was ignited when CEO Steve Huffman expressed the company's intent to retain its valuable data. Similarly, Musk's recent decision to implement new login gates and view count restrictions on Twitter was justified as a countermeasure against rampant data scraping.
Summing it up, the social web is transitioning in three fundamental ways: It's moving from public to private, shifting focus from growth and engagement to revenue generation, and morphing into an entertainment business. It appears that connecting people isn't financially lucrative, but hosting ads between endlessly scrolling videos is. Consequently, we're seeing a transition from the ‘’social media’’ era to the ‘’media with a comments section’’ era.
As far as interpersonal connectivity is concerned, it seems like we are returning to the age of group chats, private messaging, and forums. Perhaps this return could lead to fewer problems; maybe algorithms and a global town square weren't such a good idea after all. Yet, the desire remains for a platform where everyone is present, with a mix of sports gossip and cutting-edge AI discussions.
Sadly, the digital landscape lacks such a platform. It isn't LinkedIn or Tumblr, nor is it newer platforms like Post, Vero, Spoutable, or Hive Social. Clubhouse and BeReal don't cut it, either.
Some hold out hope for decentralised applications like Mastodon and Bluesky. Yet, the ‘’fediverse’’ isn't quite ready. Challenges in user accessibility and content discovery are hurdles that these platforms need to overcome. Privacy concerns and gaps in features are other deterrents.
There's a glimmer of hope in apps like WhatsApp and Signal, which prioritise privacy. However, these are primarily chat apps. As a Reddit alternative, Discord offers a promising blend of chat and broadcast features. Yet, its moderation tools leave much to be desired, and its high-traffic servers can be overwhelming.
James Browning is a freelance tech writer and local music journalist.
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