October 19, 2012
Social messaging is evolving and, needless to say, taking human connection and connectivity to a whole new level. The medium may have been the message, but people are finding remarkable ways to use existing media, and to create new ones. We’ve all been victims of information overload ”there’s a lot out there for us to absorb, but it’s refreshing to see the creations and innovations in this realm.
Whether it is in making education more enjoyable, or information more easily accessible, we have the opportunity to use the wisdom of crowds like never before. Sites like Thunderclap overcome the chaos and chatter on social networks; they enable the crowd to speak as one by amplifying similar posts and creating a single compelling message.
Speaking of compelling messages, supporting causes and “liking” pages on Facebook is great ”but what does it all translate to? It’s one thing to care on social media, but the challenge has been to make this care actionable. How do we drive someone to use a platform they’re already comfortable with to act in a way that reflects their conviction and beliefs, and also make the desired tangible impact? DoSomething.org may have it figured out. It encourages teenagers (or Generation Text, as they’re fondly referred to) to send text messages and spark activism.
Social and virtual connectedness is global, but now that people have global connectivity, they want to go back to local ”“who’s around me? what’s around me?” are the questions that we ask today, and find answers readily. Sonar sorts and prioritizes publicly available personal data for making social connections with people in the vicinity. The SoLoMo (social-local-mobile) revolution continues to be about connecting the right people at the right place at the right time. Location-based mobile apps have been trying to get the equation right ”for instance, Shoutt, a recently released iPhone app shows promise in the college community.
Trends suggest that the future of social messaging rests on the extent to which we’re able to leverage technology to build communities, to facilitate collaboration, and use the power of connectedness to create a larger social impact. Considering the impact that the next big idea can have on the entire world, it is safe to say that messaging is evolving from being petty to purposeful, mundane to meaningful, and casual to catalytic.
We see social messaging following the core philosophy of OpenGrounds ”connect, collaborate, and create. We have the connections. It’s now time to use that network and work together to create the future.
Submitted by Manya Cherabuddi, fourth year Commerce and Arts Administration student and OpenGrounds intern.
