Where Is Social Media Headed?

People rise up against their government because of social media, reveal their closest personal information via social media and complain about social media sites not protecting their privacy.   One thing you can say for sure about social media is that it’s full of contradictions. Just like the American people.

It wasn’t that long ago people feared that government knew too much about them. And that marketing companies were tracking their every purchase while “Big Brother” was watching their every move. Well people, you don’t have to worry about the government or marketing companies keeping tabs on your every move anymore. They don’t have to because people are freely giving that information away to anyone, and I mean anyone, who cares to know.

Why, in a society that values privacy so much, are people willing to freely tell the world what they bought, where they eat, where they are going and who they are dating?

I have a theory.  Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame and 'telling all' via social media is one way to get it. Do a Web search on Ashton Kutcher or Katy Perry and up pops all sorts of information on them. Do a Web search on yourself and guess what? Up pops all sorts of information on you.  So I guess that makes you famous.

It will be interesting to see in the months and years to come just where social media is headed. Has it peaked yet, or is the peak still to come? Will people get bored with constantly sharing with the world their every thought, photos of last Friday’s office party and their cat playing the piano?  Or will ensuring their 15 minutes of fame just be too irresistible to pass up? Only time will tell.

~Ken