Podcast Summary
The untold story of users and creators on the Internet: Taylor Lorenz's book 'Extremely Online' explores the social history of the Internet, focusing on the power dynamics between users and creators and the platforms they use, providing a unique perspective on social media's rise
The story of the Internet is not just about the tech giants and CEOs, but also about the users and creators who make the platform interesting and dynamic. Taylor Lorenz, a tech columnist for The Washington Post, explores this idea in her new book, "Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet." While many books have been written about social media giants, Lorenz's approach is unique as she focuses on the social history of the Internet, an area that has been under-explored due to the lack of coverage in traditional media. Lorenz argues that for most of social media's rise, there were few reporters covering the beat, and the narrative has been dominated by the companies themselves. The book aims to shed light on the other side of social media history and the power dynamics between users and creators and the platforms they use.
Users shaped the rise and success of social media platforms: Users' active participation and influence led to the value and success of social media platforms, but protecting their labor rights remains a challenge
The rise of social media was not solely driven by Silicon Valley geniuses, but rather by the active participation and influence of users. The value of social media platforms lies in their user base, and the success of a platform is largely dependent on the community it cultivates. Users have wielded significant power, shaping features and behaviors that have defined these platforms. However, organizing and advocating for labor protections for content creators remains a challenge due to the diffuse and ever-changing nature of the workforce. The creative potential of social media platforms, such as Vine, can be attributed to the unique constraints and norms that emerge from their user base.
The Rise and Fall of Vine and its Impact on Social Media: The lack of financialization and monetization on Vine led to the rise of extreme content, but its quick, bite-sized videos paved the way for TikTok's popularity. The author's book delves into the evolution of social media from fame-focused to privacy-focused, with the entertainment model becoming dominant.
The downfall of Vine was due in part to the lack of financialization and monetization of content, leading to the rise of controversial and extreme content. However, the creative expression and quick, bite-sized videos on Vine paved the way for the popular social media platform TikTok, which has become the spiritual successor to Vine. The author of the book mentioned in the discussion, "Like as I Lay Dying: A Recent History of Vine (the app, the culture, and the industry)", talks about how the talent from Vine moved to other platforms like Facebook Video, YouTube, and Musically after its shutdown. The author also differentiates social media into two camps: the entertainment model and the Facebook model. In the beginning, social media was used for fame and attention, but the Facebook model emerged, focusing on curated connections and privacy. Eventually, the entertainment model of social media, which includes public-facing platforms like TikTok, has become the dominant force. The author's book provides a deeper exploration of these topics and the evolution of social media over time.
From Facebook to TikTok: The Evolution of Social Media Models: The Facebook model prioritizes pre-existing social connections, limiting opportunities for discovery, while TikTok's entertainment model encourages deeper parasocial relationships, leading to user engagement and retention. The creator economy, with roots in early blogging, continues to shape social media trends.
The evolution of social media models, as seen in the cases of Myspace and TikTok, has significant implications for user engagement and discovery. While the Facebook model, which prioritizes pre-existing social connections, has struggled to keep users engaged due to limited opportunities for discovery, the entertainment model of TikTok, which encourages deeper connections through parasocial relationships, has been successful in retaining users. However, the creator economy, which has become a significant aspect of social media today, actually traces its roots back to the early aughts with the rise of mommy bloggers, who broke down barriers and started conversations around topics that resonated with them beyond the narrow focus of traditional women's media. Overall, understanding the historical context and evolution of social media models and the creator economy can provide valuable insights into the current landscape and future trends.
Valuing Content Creators and Addressing Inequalities: Platforms need to prioritize and value content creators, address underrepresentation, and promote a more equitable creator economy
The creator economy and tech industry need to prioritize and value content creators more, recognizing their work as labor. This includes addressing the underrepresentation and marginalization of women, people of color, and LGBTQ individuals. The platforms that dominate the social tech landscape, such as Facebook, Google, and TikTok (owned by the Chinese tech company ByteDance), hold immense power and need greater accountability. Smaller, more responsible apps struggle to compete due to intense lobbying and squashing of competition. Examples like Snapchat, which have been more responsive to users and helped creators monetize, have not been able to scale due to competition from larger, state-supported companies. It's crucial to critically cover this industry and push for a more equitable and creator-centered economy.
Struggles of marginalized creators on social media platforms: Marginalized creators face censorship and systemic issues on TikTok, YouTube, and other social media sites. The internet's democratization of content creation leads to self-obsession and commodification, forcing individuals to build a life raft in a late capitalist society.
The debate around TikTok's treatment of marginalized creators, such as LGBTQ individuals, is not unique to the platform. YouTube and other social media sites have faced similar criticisms. The struggle for these creators is not just about TikTok's censorship but the systemic issues inherent in our tech landscape. Additionally, the democratization of content creation on the internet has led to a culture of self-obsession and commodification, pressuring individuals to view themselves as brands. People turn to social media for stability and a sense of community due to societal instability and a lack of trust in traditional systems. While the internet offers incredible opportunities for independent media businesses, it also presents a dark side, where individuals are forced to build a life raft in a late capitalist society that can be ruthless and unforgiving.
Supreme Court ruling's impact on business consolidation: The Supreme Court ruling has led to a concerning consolidation of power among a few corporations, affecting consumers, competitors, and society as a whole. Taylor Lorenz discussed the implications and offered a thought-provoking perspective on the current state of business in America.
The Supreme Court ruling has led to a concerning consolidation of power among a few corporations, making the business landscape increasingly monopolistic and dystopian. This trend, which was once the subject of jokes, is now a reality that affects all of America. It's important to recognize the implications of this shift and consider the potential consequences for consumers, competitors, and society as a whole. Taylor Lorenz provided valuable insights into this topic during our conversation, shedding light on the other side of the coin and offering a thought-provoking perspective on the current state of business in America. We appreciate her time and wish her the best of luck with her book launch. This conversation was produced by Grace Tatter and Dean Russell, and we look forward to bringing you more insightful discussions on Friday.
