How We're Bringing Back the 'Social' Part of Social Media

But she wasn’t always so active in Facebook Groups like Bagels.

Over the past few years, Romano noticed some changes while using other social media outlets, specifically Instagram.

That’s what led Romano to delete her Instagram app.

Now, she primarily uses Facebook Groups, which is where we connected.

I’ve noticed this trend in my own life and work as a social media reporter.

They’re fairly easy to find, too.

Subreddits and Facebook Groups are two common examples of smaller spaces on bigger platforms.

Discordis a great example of this pattern in action.

According to a Discord spokesperson, 80% of communications on the platform are in smaller group servers.

Independent, topic-specific platforms are also becoming more popular.

For film fans,Letterboxdexploded in popularity during the pandemic and has steadily grown its user base since then.

Invite-only apps likeLapse, which was the No.

Even apps like Nextdoor, which connects neighbors in the same geographic area, are becoming more common.

While these apps have many users, those folks are finding smaller ecosystems within the larger whole.

But the main motivation that came up over and over was a desire for community.

Originally, platforms like Facebook weresupposedto build and host communities.

But that’s not what they are today.

Leaning into entertainment content helps big platforms keep users engaged and revenue flowing, Karten explained.

But people are still “…seeking out places where they can find community.”

In these small communities, people are united under a shared goal, interest, location or other commonality.

In many instances, the people in these rooms also share the same values and beliefs.

Groups can also decide to be more stringent with their community guidelines compared to those of individual platforms.

Take a mental health and substance abuse support group, for example.

Beyond just individual people seeking community, these smaller spaces can bring folks together on a societal level.

Small online spaces aren’t perfect

Not all small spaces are healthy, though.

The very thing that can draw someone to a small online community is what can make it dangerous.

They’re not as good for bridging or for sharing ideas across boundaries," Zuckerman warns.

And that matters, especially as election season heats up and social media platforms gear up in kind.

For example, Instagram recently changed all users' options to automaticallylimit political contentfrom users' feeds.

In this fight, group administrators or moderators will be vital.

Ultimately, it’s unlikely that there will be a mass exodus from these big platforms.

That’s millions of people, but still less than a fifth of all US users.

Both are important to our online social ecosystem.

“So can any of these platforms find their way back?