We'll Chuckle When Remembering Today's Simplistic "Social Media"

#259: Truly Exciting Social Media
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In a recent opinion piece for the New York Times, Annalee Newitz laid out several scenarios describing what future social media might look like.  I'll present and discuss them, but first, this is what social media will eventually look like, once we've tried various designs, and settled on the best:

*** Simply put, the American promise: that the best ideas will be recognized and rise to the top.

Newitz's five scenarios (with my commentary in green):

Basic Question: What will replace social media (the way the internet replaced television)?

If Facebook/Twitter are flashes in the pan, I'll surrender my pundit's chair, but I'm guessing this is the wrong question (see my final paragraph).

1. Do away with ad networks that are parasitic, that feed off of human connection.

This idea requires a replacement for ads.  Possible, but not likely.

2. Resolve the choice between Facebook and WeChat (the Chinese equivalent) by allowing some state control.

Much more likely that state control withers.

3. Begin with 'opt out' as default.  We would each, instead, choose what content to admit into our world.

Creative, but too complicated.  Most internet users just want to have fun, and would uncritically open the floodgates.  Worth considering, though.

4. A 'slow media' solution: while curating takes time, all posts will have met standards

In boutique settings this could work, but likely an intellectual's dream.

5. Allow face-to-face proof of member authenticity.

Maybe, if your first priority is countering fake accounts.

The reason why "What will replace social media...?" is the wrong question can be summed up with mathematical formulas.
  * Facebook is simply 1 + 1 = 2 (we agree to be friends)
  * Twitter is simply 2 + 1 = 3 (I follow you in a social context)
This simple math was enabled by the internet.  The formulas themselves won't ever change.  What can change is our engineering ability.  If, for example, a simple adjustment (like ranking our favorite posters) allowed talent to rise, ho-hum mediocrity to fail, and the opinions of those so recognized was tabulated, an organic popularity might begin to replace our pop culture wasteland.
  * This would be 3 + 1 = 4 (I  promote you as my favorite)