Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, Facebook. Six names that are probably known worldwide. Why exactly? Well, these are brand names, company names, names of different social media platforms. Social media has been the rise and fall of Generation Z. Toddlers have even learned how to operate a cell phone or tablet when they can barely form coherent sentences. Even though people see this as a downfall of our generation, that isn’t the case. Social media has opened up so many new doors while giving us new opportunities and creating new jobs. Have you ever heard the term “influencer?” To a teen, this usually is just a fancy way of saying “social media star.” Lilly Singh, the YouTuber iiSuperwomanii, is technically an influencer, while JoJo Siwa, now a YouTuber and international meme, is an influencer as well. One social media star sells bracelets to help women in rural areas, while another is the epitome of an eight-year-old’s dream. But how did the term “influencer” come about?

Social media’s original purpose was for refuge, not entertainment. Tumblr’s initial intentions were for artists to put their artwork out on a blog and then get feedback. Now, Tumblr is a pure source of entertainment! BuzzFeed has multiple articles about hilarious Tumblr text posts. These text posts are jokes Tumblr users have made on their blogs. Nonetheless, the “aesthetic” side of Tumblr is still present, but the intent isn’t the same. Another platform that faced drastic change is YouTube, as it was first used to overcome depression. Since then, YouTubers have gone crazy. Vlogs (video blogs) are incredibly popular now as well. These vlogs are sweeping the site with almost every YouTuber doing them. We’ve barely touched the tip of the iceberg when it comes to fandoms. Fandom Tumblr and YouTube are the peculiar sides of social media. Fangirls and fanboys swarm the platform, posting about their favorite TV show, movie, celebrity, or book.

Other platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat have stormed youth as well. Everyone seems to have an Instagram these days, celebrities, kids, parents, businesses, and even schools because they are the perfect advertisement. Social media is the one thing everyone sees daily. Every user wants to have an aesthetic or a theme, even though some hate it, so why does everyone use it? That’s because social media unites us. There are so many ways to use social media, so many different reasons to create an account, which is why people find a way to do so. Now, practically everyone is connected, thus uniting people! Another reason why social media is so popular is that it keeps us hooked. Snapchat’s streaks feature is incredibly popular. To start a streak with someone, you need to send them a picture from Snapchat for three consecutive days. If you want to keep the streak, you need to keep sending pictures daily. There’s a catch, though. When starting a streak, you need to take a picture from Snapchat’s camera. This forces users to open the app if they want to keep up streaks. Social media draws us in with its intent of unity, gives us the unity, and then uses tactics to hook us. Nonetheless, it’s still the epitome of this century and will probably stick around for a while!