5 Misconceptions About Social Media

Originally published at The Social Path

Yes, I know. We're all tired of lists. But studies have shown that they're still the most effective way to list things, and I can't argue with science.

Myth No. 1: This is all just a fad.

We could talk about how socializing goes back thousands of years, blah blah blah, but let's go ahead and skip to the modern era. Social networking online has actually been going on a lot longer than most people think.

I got started as a teen in the early 1990s, when I was running a BBS. If you're not a nerd, I should explain that a Bulletin Board System was like a prehistoric Web portal, except without the Web. You would dial in on your modem, then be able to e-mail or play games with other folks who used the same BBS. Some were even networked, letting you communicate across the whole nation. Yes, hard to believe there was a time when that was impressive.

So why does social media feel like such a new trend? Well, the technology has gotten a hell of a lot better in recent years, making it easier than ever to join or even start a new network. Faster Internet connections have also made it possible to share more than just words. High-res pictures, podcasts, movies -- you name it, it can finally be passed around without hours of wait.

Myth No. 1: This is all just a fad.

We could talk about how socializing goes back thousands of years, blah blah blah, but let's go ahead and skip to the modern era. Social networking online has actually been going on a lot longer than most people think.

I got started as a teen in the early 1990s, when I was running a BBS. If you're not a nerd, I should explain that a Bulletin Board System was like a prehistoric Web portal, except without the Web. You would dial in on your modem, then be able to e-mail or play games with other folks who used the same BBS. Some were even networked, letting you communicate across the whole nation. Yes, hard to believe there was a time when that was impressive.

So why does social media feel like such a new trend? Well, the technology has gotten a hell of a lot better in recent years, making it easier than ever to join or even start a new network. Faster Internet connections have also made it possible to share more than just words. High-res pictures, podcasts, movies -- you name it, it can finally be passed around without hours of wait.