The Social Web: End of the First Cycle - Warren Ellis

Warren Ellis' thoughts on social media/networks at this time. An important read for those who care about these sites we use to keep in touch and share our thoughts:

This may be the end of the cycle that began with Friendster and Livejournal. Not the end of social media, by any means, obviously. But it feels like this is the point at where the current systems seize up for a bit. Perhaps not even in ways that most people will notice. But social media seems now to be clearly calcifying into Big Media, with Big Media problems like cable-style carriage disputes. Frame the Twitter-Instagram spat in terms of Virginmedia not being able to carry Sky Atlantic in the UK, say (I know there are many more US examples). 

Google+, of course, is not, strictly speaking, a social network. Most people can’t see what other people are doing there. Google, of course, sees it all. But everyone knows that going in. 

It feels like the social web is going to get somewhat less interesting for a while. Less connected, less engaged.