The evolution of social media

As social media climbs in popularity, its role in its users’ lives has grown tremendously as well. From 2017-2022, social media platforms and apps have evolved drastically, creating new ways for people to communicate, advertise and influence online.

In 2017, social media was just starting to become popular among Generation Z. Facebook was still the leading app, and most of its users were over the age of 50, according to the Pew Research Center. Today, platforms like YouTube, Instagram, Snapchat and Pinterest, which have younger user bases, are all competing with Facebook for the top spot. TikTok, which was released worldwide in August 2018, reached the top 5 most used social media platforms in 2022, with 800 million users worldwide. As teens and young adults begin to conquer the world of social media, the next generation will better help us understand the ever-growing online world and its effects on users.

Bella Goldfayn, a student at Lake Forest Country Day School, has had TikTok and Snapchat for 4 years and believes that her experience can help open our eyes to the negative impacts of social media. “Snapchat feels like a chore,” she says, adding that she uses TikTok as a “time-killer.” “If I have somewhere to go, I’ll go on TikTok until we have to leave,” she explains. Bella believes a major problem with TikTok and other social media platforms is that users only post the best parts of their lives, not the hardships or challenges, leading others to believe that influencers all have perfect lives.

For Kathy Calvillo, a mother and surgical breast oncologist who started her own center for breast oncology, social media has its ups and downs. She uses both Facebook and Instagram to grow her business, posting about the center’s opening, educating others about breast cancer and the risk of it, and creating Reels of her open house. She appreciates social media as an advertising platform for growing her business, but as a mother, she “hates” it and the effects it has on her teenage daughters. She says she has noticed visible changes in her daughters’ style, behavior, friendships, and influence, and she believes that social media can lead to cyberbullying and the destruction of friendships. Like Bella, she is of the opinion that social media use does more harm than good.

But, with over half of the population having a social media platform, many users have reported positive experiences as well. Sam Waters, a teen who has had Youtube for 8 years and TikTok for 6 months, says YouTube is a great way to watch friends’ videos, create content, or view other YouTubers’ videos, whether for self-help or just for fun. When asked about TikTok, he said, “It’s really nice to have (TikTok) after a long day, to just come home and relax.” He likes that TikTok has a vast range of videos, including ones that can make you laugh, learn, or just entertain you. Over the past five years, he believes that social media has changed for the better, as new features have been added and more platforms have been released featuring a wide variety of content with a diverse user base.

Social media is constantly evolving, as seen through changes in app popularity and communication, along with the rise in new apps and features, and more people are using these platforms to advertise and influence than ever before. Although users may have different opinions on how these platforms have affected the way we interact with one another, it’s clear that social media is becoming an increasingly larger part of our lives.