Having lived in Fargo for all but six months of my life, I can comfortably say I’ve been around the block once or twice. For those of you outside the area, I should make it known that “been around the block” is just a figure of speech. Fargo has more than one block. For more Fargo myths, read my last installment of the 5ives.

But at 24, I’ve run the gauntlet of the technology boom. I remember fording rivers playing Oregon Trail on Apple computers with the green screens only to lose because of dysentery (for my character, not me). I remember when our pod at Discovery Junior High was on top of technology when we had enough multi-colored iMacs for everyone in the class to use. I remember when the best way to turn a profit in high school was to make customized CDs with songs downloaded from Napster. That was almost a decade ago.

So let’s explore how the social media trends that I followed aimlessly as a teen have turned into social media trends where being a follower on Twitter means being a leader in local new media.

1. Chat Rooms – (N/A)
Steps to Twitter:
I) Instant Communication Online
In this case, N/A means “not allowed”. I didn’t have dial up at my house until 1998. A lot of my friends were online since the mid-90s, but at our age, chat rooms weren’t considered safe because there weren’t checks or balances. Everyone hid behind a screen name and took that as an opportunity to reinvent themselves. My parents and my school felt that a lack of accountability meant a lack of safety.

2. AOL Instant Messaging or AIM – (ChaBoy Mambo man from 1998 – 2005)
Steps to Twitter:
I) Multiple Exposure to Contacts
II) Selectivity
There were probably glimpses of the future before AIM, but for my peers, AOL stands out. Its through AIM that we get to be selective in whom we choose to communicate with online. Random chat rooms weren’t safe or credible. AIM gave people the opportunity to interact with specific people. Buddy lists were just that- a list of people you knew made credible by having an email address attached. AOL Instant Messenger played another pivotal role in the evolution of social media. It allowed or forced us to multi-task. From having one-on-one conversations in the lunch room or over e-mail, AIM allowed people to have several conversations at once, all simultaneous but private.

3. Xanga – (DoctorSquiggles from 2001-2003)
Steps to Twitter:
I) Permanent Posts
II) Archived Updates
III) Subscribers
IV) Comments
V) Feedback
Before they were called “blogs”, online journals were called web logs. Xanga was definitely the most popular at Fargo South High School. Blogging at this time was relatively new, but Xanga served as a pioneer of social media. Unlike AIM, people could stay involved with people who were offline. In addition, Xanga allowed unlimited space to say whatever it is that 16-year-old kids think is important to say. Looking back at some of my posts, I didn’t have a whole lot to say. But the point is, I had a place to say it and share it. Aside from getting to vent about the trial and tribulations of teenage life, Xanga added two elements still found in social media today – the ability to leave comments and the ability to subscribe to people’s blogs. Commenting, formally known as eProps, started online social media where interaction was convenience based. More importantly, the ability to subscribe to people’s blogs and see who else belonged to that group laid the foundation for “friending” or “following”.

4. MySpace – (DoctorSquiggles from 2003-2007)
Steps to Twitter:
I) Customization
II) Social Media as a Marketing Tool

MySpace still exists; I just never really enjoyed it. Regardless of my opinions on the whole phenomenon, MySpace was just that, a phenomenon. And though it has lost some of its social muster, it has still maintained a strong social media outlet for promoting artists and businesses alike. MySpace took the rough concepts established by Xanga and expanded them into Web 2.0. Things were more customizable, audio and video could be added and the individuality sought by its primary users was certainly satisfied.

5. Facebook – (Jason Jacobson from 2005 – )
Steps to Twitter:
I) Status Updates
II) News Feeds
III) Phone Updates
Facebook came out when I was in college. In its infancy, Facebook was designed to introduce people with common interests, friends and class schedules on college campuses, uniting strangers based on personality. I remember when Minnesota State University Moorhead finally got Facebook. It still took me a year to join, but it was immediate and apparent how useful this tool would be. There are many frivolous gimmicks that Facebook has introduced into pop culture (Ninja vs. Pirate, bumper stickers, gifts, etc), but more importantly, Facebook provided a place for human interaction, and personalizing the web even on the go.

So here we are, ten years later with Twitter. It’s been a long journey, but it’s far from over. Social media is fluid; constantly changing shape to fit the container society puts it in. Sites cannibalize each other, dominating for a period, dying off and being replaced by the next wave. With the popularity of Twitter, I’m anxious to see how long it will last. How will Twitter improve? How will it be conquered? Can Facebook be overrun by something newer? Is that something Twitter? I’ve been fortunate enough to see the changes and am looking forward to what the next ten years will bring.

Let me know your thoughts on this blog or any others. Reminisce or call me out. After all, that’s what comments were made for.