How The Lines Between Social Media Platforms Are Blurring

What happened to the days when Instagram was for the perfect photo, Twitter was for a quick thought and Facebook was for family updates? The lines between social media platforms are blurring and it’s becoming harder to spot the differences between them.  

With the prevalence of an ever-connected generation, social media has become the root of communication within the modern world. Snaps are sent, TikToks are filmed and Instagram captions are written. There is little thought given to the overabundance of social media use in our everyday life. 

It all started with Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg was the founding father of the social media world after his release of the groundbreaking website “The Facebook” in 2004. Although there were earlier attempts at creating what we know today as social media, Zuckerberg’s Facebook was the first to stick the landing.  

According to History Timelines, YouTube was only a few steps behind in 2005, and then “X,” formally known as Twitter, was to follow in 2006. In 2010 and 2011, Instagram and Snapchat were released and finally, TikTok was created in 2016.  

But are we experiencing déjà vu? These once distinguishable social media platforms are beginning to look eerily similar. The companies owning our favorite apps continue to steal platform innovations from each other, leaving little originality between social media platforms.  

It started when Instagram took the idea of “stories” from its rival, Snapchat. Stories are now a part of every major social media app after Facebook, TikTok and even LinkedIn joined in on the idea. TikTok, formerly known as Music.ly, was the originator of the short form, scrolling style video content. But after it grew in popularity, it too was snatched up by nearly all its competitors.  

The phenomenon leads us to ask: why? Why can’t these apps stay in their own lane? 

According to Wired, the goal for every app is to gain as much traffic as possible, therefore increasing ad revenue and continuous audience engagement. 

If people spend all of their free time scrolling through TikTok, those are precious hours siphoned from Instagram, or Twitter, or Snapchat which means less revenue from advertisers. But simply replicating a competitor’s big idea doesn’t always lead to replicating its success,” according to Wired.  

Every social media app is fighting to win the largest population of users. And when something is working for one app, others have no problem swooping in and taking it for themselves.  

Though I would argue that social media apps are all morphing into the same version of each other, each app caters to a different demographic, which creates a differing experience.  

Facebook will forever be known as a space for millennials and baby boomers. According to Pew Research Center, the age group that consumes media from Facebook ranges from 30-49. To be honest, I’m not sure that is where I would spend my time as a younger individual. 

The same research showed that Instagram and TikTok are used primarily by 18- and 19-year-olds. This is where Generation Z hangs out. I would argue that the content on Instagram and TikTok, though delivered in similar fashion to Facebook, greatly differs in style, messages and target audience. 

I don’t explore Facebook to find a workout from an influencer I like. I also wouldn’t scroll on TikTok to see what my great aunt is doing in Pennsylvania. Each app serves its own peer group. 

I don’t foresee a company creating an app that can target all generations and every single niche interest, while still generating revenue and a functioning algorithm. If someone is able to manage that, I will be greatly impressed. Until then, we’re stuck watching our social media apps play catch-up and copycat with each other, vying for our undivided attention.  

Mullet is a staff writer for the Liberty Champion. 

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