Assistant Professor

Management Studies

DBS, PUGKC

Talwandi Sabo,  Punjab, India 

Being social creatures, we usually value communication in strengthening our bonds with one another. In order to keep a healthy life and mind, social connections are equally essential. Face-to-face interaction is the preferred method of communication, but when this is not possible or practical, we come up with many inventive ways to connect with our loved ones. It's in our nature to connect with others and use networks. We have been doing this since the beginning using various methods and tools. Human beings have seen significant change in how they retain social contact, from the ancient sign language to the modern digitization. Messengers, mail, telephones, wires, telegrams, gatherings, parties, clubs, groups, religious services, and other events are used for communication. Different communication methods have developed throughout history. These methods kept evolving over time, and in the present period, social media is the primary means by which people choose to socialize.

Evans (2008)¹ described social media as-

“Social Media relates to a self-generated, authentic conversation between people about a particular subject of mutual interest, built on the thoughts and experiences of the participants”

Social media carries a broad array of “online and mobile, word-of-mouth forums including social networking websites, blogs, company sponsored discussion boards and chat rooms, consumer-to-consumer email, consumer product or service ratings websites, internet discussion boards and forums, and sites containing digital audio, images, movies, or photographs, to name a few” (Hollensen- 2011)². People had joined online forums for a variety of purposes, including information sharing, topic research, and discussion. These online media activities are currently occurring in the modern period via the social communication approach known as social media or web 2.0 (Gretzel et. al. - 2008)³. People can engage and create online content thanks to social media. Therefore, social media can be described as a second-generation tool for digital content creation and development that aims to facilitate collaboration, interoperability, and secure information sharing online (Paris et. al- 2010)⁴. As a result, social media can be defined as a contemporary tool for collaboration and attaining consensus, with the ultimate goal of producing a better and more knowledgeable alternative. Social media has grown to become an internet technology that is regularly updated with new features due to the field's ongoing growth. Understanding the ideas behind user-generated content on Web 2.0 platforms is necessary to better comprehend social media.

In 2004, the terms "Web 2.0" were initially used to refer to a new method of creating online content. In contrast to past versions of web content development technologies, which were carried out by developers or people, content and apps are now generated by users in a participatory and collaborative manner. Technically speaking, user-generated content has a foundation thanks to Web 2.0 technology. Before all of this, there existed web 1.0, where people could publish their own content, such as personal web sites, the Britannica website, online articles, etc. Web 2.0 technologies were initially employed for institutional and commercial use content with a concentration on user contributed content as the internet became more widely used. Web 2.0 technologies give users access to tools that encourage online user cooperation and social interaction. Online 2.0 is described as "the wisdom, participatory, and people-centric web with capacities to read and write" by San Murugesan, a journalist for IT Professional. Its foundation is the social movement that relies on a variety of technological advancements and commercial tactics (Murugesan- 2007)⁵. The widespread use of Web 2.0 technology led to the emergence of numerous social networking sites. These websites, which focus on people and context, help users connect with one another and offer social and emotional support. Social media platforms are bringing together people of various ages, colours, and ethnicities worldwide, allowing users to share, express themselves, and discover the world. One of the most effective methods for giving voices to many unknown and unheard people is social networking. Our lives have undergone a transformation as a result, and many of us feel lost in the world without these social media platforms.

Oxford Dictionary defines social media as-

"Websites and applications that enable users to create and share content or to participate in social networking"

Although it is true that social media is not a new phenomenon, its roots actually lay in long-distance communication. By using the online mode over time, it got quick and refined. Social media use can be found far sooner than we might think. It is a typical result of centuries of labour on social media growth. The earliest form of long-distance communication was written letters conveyed by hand from one person to another. Letters are a form of communication that date back to 550 B.C. With the passage of time and technological advancement, this communication mechanism became streamlined, broad, and ancient.

The next significant advancement in social media happened in 1792 with the creation of the telegraph. This device makes it possible to send communications farther and more quickly. Telegraph was a groundbreaking method of news and message communication, but it could only send brief messages. The telephone and radio, which were both key technologies that were made in 1890 and 1891, respectively, are still in use today. This had made it feasible for individuals to communicate quickly over long distances, something that had never been done by mankind previously (Hendricks - 2013)⁶.

With the development of the first super computers in the 1940s, the 20th century saw a remarkable advancement in technology. This aided engineers and scientists in coming up with novel network-based methods for connecting computers. The Internet was created as a result of computers being connected through networking. The internet or web's first iterations, such CompuServe, were developed in the 1960s. When multiple computers could be connected to access data from any station in 1962, the first description of online social interaction was written down. Then, in the 1970s, ARPANET was created, primarily as academic and commercial software but also for social connections (Leiner et. al. - 2012)⁷. E-mails also evolved during this time period. Networking infrastructure was created in the 1970s, and in 1979 users could connect to UseNet via a digital newsletter.

In the 1980s, home computers became more prevalent. Internet chats were initially utilised in 1988 and remained popular long into the 1990s. Six Degrees, the first social media platform developed in 1997, allows its users to communicate their contacts. The term "degrees" refers to the many levels at which connections were categorised. Moveon.org began as an email listserv dedicated to promoting social media campaigns. Across the board, it was a pioneering political website. The first blogging platform, LiveJournal, was launched in 1999, just before the millennium (McFadden - 2018)⁸.

The year of 2000 saw social networking site LunarStorm. It was developed in Sweden and aimed at teenagers. It has 1.2 million impressive members by 2007. It was operational until 2010. In 2001, Wikipedia officially debuted. It was started with the intention of creating an online encyclopedia that anybody could edit and add articles to. Although we cannot classify Wikipedia as a social networking site, it was a non-profit organisation and quickly rose to become one of the most popular reference sites. In 2002, Friendster, a platform created in Malaysia, became popular. This social networking service website gained popularity for social gaming, events, and dating. Friendster shut down in 2015 because to a lack of participation from its users. The database-focused online radio and music streaming website LastFM was also established in 2002.

LinkedIn, founded on 5 May 2003, is a business and career-oriented site used predominantly for professional networking and job searching site, wherein job seekers can post their CVs for the jobs posted by employers. LinkedIn has been committed to using social media for business with consistent development. It was one of the most well-known social networking sites worldwide. As of March 19, LinkedIn had 610 million registered members and presence in 200 different countries (LinkedIn company statistics - 2019). In 2003, "MySpace," another hugely popular social media platform at the time, was introduced. At the time, it was a novel concept for a website to allow users to personalise their profiles and integrate music and movies. The first WordPress website went live in 2003. It's a potent content management system for websites and blogs. By providing personalised domains and support services, it currently powers about 33% of websites. The websites Photobucket and Flickr for photo sharing, SecondLife for multiplayer online games, and Del.icio.us for online bookmark storing and sharing all came into existence in 2003.

2004 saw the birth of a number of new social media platforms, such as the Harvard version of Facebook, Orkut, Multiply, Care2, Ning, Piczo, Mixi, and Hyves. Of these, Google's Orkut was one of the most popular sites in Brazil and India in 2008. As of September 30, 2014, it was shut down. In 2005, a whole new channel for communication called YouTube emerged. Bebo, Reddit, and Yahoo! 360 were also notable launches in 2004. The first "real" Facebook was launched in 2006. Since its debut, Facebook has experienced incredible development, and it is currently the most popular website on the internet. Since its first launch in 2006, Twitter has developed a cult-like following. Twitter made it possible for users to communicate with celebrities directly, which was previously unheard of. In 2007, FriendFeed and Tumblr joined the celebration. The popularity of Tumblr's social networking and microblogging apps has increased. Around this time, businesses started to take social media and its marketing impact seriously. Businesses have begun creating accounts, posting on their blogs, and connecting with other media. In 2008, websites like Spotify, Ping, Groupon, and Kontain appeared on the expanding market to target the niches. In 2009, Foursquare was one of the first social media platforms to allow users to "check in" at specific places. 2010 witnessed the launch of Pinterest, Google Buzz, and Instagram. Since then, Instagram and Pinterest have had tremendous growth and are still industry leaders. Google introduced Google+ as a full-featured social networking and marketing tool where users could create groups of friends and have video "hangouts" to communicate. It was lately ceased operations (McFadden - 2018)⁸.

With so many launches in the 2000s, it was considered that the distinctive qualities of numerous sites needed to be unified. With this idea in mind, Pheed started its services in 2011. On its platform, Pheed allowed users to exchange audio, video, text, voice memos, and live broadcasts.

Numerous social media platforms come and go, but since its launch, WhatsApp has had an unprecedented number of users. WhatsApp is a mobile messaging programme that you can download for free and use to exchange text messages, images, audio files, and videos via the internet. The system is extremely similar to text texting. Because WhatsApp uses internet connections to send messages, the cost is substantially lower than email. Teens love it because of the group, voice, and position sharing capabilities. With around one billion registered users worldwide, WhatsApp, which is now owned by Facebook, is one of the most popular applications. In just a few months after starting as a small startup in 2009, it had 2.5 lakh people registered. They implemented usage charges to control the rapid expansion and to reduce the rate of subscriptions. Since being acquired by Facebook in 2014, WhatsApp’s user base has continued to expand, and as of July 17, the number of registered users had surpassed one billion.

Today, we have an incredible variety of social media networking sites, many of which allow sharing of text, audio, video, photos, location etc. with the others in the network. This has made it possible for media to provide users the most exposure while maintaining interpersonal communication. Today, social media has become so ingrained in our lives that both individuals and companies find it impossible to fathom life without it. Our world has undoubtedly altered because of it, and newspapers and other traditional media are on their way out. We can only speculate about social media's future and the shape it might take in ten or even one hundred years, but we can say with certainty that it will exist in some capacity as long as there is human civilization.

References

1. Evans, D., (2008), “Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day”, Wiley Publishing Inc., Indiana, United States.

2. Hollensen, S. (2011). Global marketing: a decision-oriented approach (5. utg.). Harlow: Financial Times Prentice Hall

3. Gretzel, U., Kang, M., and Lee, W. (2008), “Differences in Consumer-Generated Media Adoption and Use: A Cross-National Perspective” Journal of Hospitality & Leisure Marketing, 17(1-2), pp. 99-120.

4. Paris, Morris, C., Lee, and Seery, P., (2010), "The role of social media in promoting special events: acceptance of Facebook ‘events’." Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism pp. 531-541.

5. Murugesan, S. (2007). Understanding Web 2.0. IT Professional Magazine, 9(4), 34.

6.Hendricks, D., (2013), “Complete History of Social Media,” from website https://smallbiztrends.com/2013/05/the-complete-history-of-social-media-infographic .html accessed on 05/04/2019.

7. Leiner, B. M., Cerf, V. G., Clark, D. D., Kahn, R. E., Kleinrock, L., Lynch, D. C., et al. (2012). Brief History of the Internet.  Internet Society.

8.McFadden, C., 2018, “A Chronological History of Social Media,” from the website https://interestingengineering.com/a-chronological-history-of-social-media accessed on 05/04/2019.