Blog #10

Diffusions of Innovations

Snapchat was first developed in September 2011 by Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown.  I think this app caught on so fast to the younger generation because it was a different way of communicating daily with your friends. There were a lot of early adopters because it was a very new and different social media app. Many of the younger generations loved how you could just send pictures instead of constantly texting. 

The younger generations sort of grew into the app and technology so they could really pick up on it fast but the generation where they were already in college when Snapchat first came out was less intrigued by it. The later generations didn't feel the need to get Snapchat and communicate through pictures every day with their friends. They felt that texting and calling were enough. My friends and I sometimes only communicate through Snapchat because it is easier for us. As we get older, we are slowly starting to text and call more. 

I think social media has many consequences, but I still continue to use them. Snapchat and other social media platforms have just changed our society. In a way where a lot of people are very sensitive and take things the wrong way through social media. For example, if someone leaves you open on Snapchat, someone might take it as they don't like me or are mad at me. And that may not be the case it could just be they are busy or don't feel like sending you a picture. 

I also think Snapchat has changed our dating world and how people communicate. People are afraid to talk in person but will say anything over a screen and that is not how real life should be. Instead of asking people for their numbers, people are always asking for their Snapchat instead. It has changed our culture tremendously. 

Joining all of these social media platforms is a way for people to collect more data. You may feel that you are more with society but you could also be given and taking in the wrong information. Social media platforms advertise you into thinking things you may not actually believe in. 

There are many negatives and positives to being on or off social media. I only have Facebook to check in on my relatives who live far away from me because they all post there. But I could do the same thing through text. I talk to my friends daily on Snapchat but I don't on iMessage and some of my friends don't answer their texts but answer their Snapchat more. I feel like if I didn't have Snapchat I might lose contact with some people. 

I don't think I necessarily need to be completely off social media but I would definitely benefit from being off of it less. And I also need to look at other reliable sources to find out about news and information. I think it would help me be more present but I might feel a strain on my friendships because I wouldn't talk to them as much.