Original Social Network

A part of me secretly wishes for the end of social media. As you shake your head, I am aware of the dissonance that exists in writing such a statement as I share this in a desperate attempt to be read. Believe me, I wrestle with this truth every time I hit the share button. So, maybe a rephrase is in order.

I proudly wish for an end to social media as we know it. These tools have become revenue generators. In exchange for access to a free platform, we sell ourselves to the highest bidder. This bidder then sells us ads based on the information we have shared about ourselves. These tools are no longer about connecting us to each other and a broader community. They are a marketplace where you and I can be found on every aisle.

I long for a social media platform mirroring a public square. I long for community, connection, and a positive exchange of ideas. If ads must exist, I want them to be focused on connecting me to others with similar passions as they are to selling me something. I long for a square where the loudest voices no longer dominate the conversation. I need a space where venom and vitriol are not rewarded. I think we deserve a social media that looks a lot like the spaces we share together.

Think of all those places where face-to-face discovery is allowed to flourish; the dinner table, a corner booth at a bar, over coffee with someone new…