The invention of the smartphone has transformed the way we approach social interaction. In fact, 47% of Americans are addicted to their phones, with the average person checking their phone every 12 minutes — approximately 80 times per day. While smartphones make it possible to communicate with others at the touch of a button, social interaction wasn’t always so readily available. From the roots of technology in social interaction to the modern day innovations that aim to enhance human connection in new and creative ways, how we communicate with one another has evolved immensely over time.
Early technology paves way for a revolution
Before the mid-1800s, social interaction can be found in various innovative methods. Letter writing, for instance, might be considered the precursor to social media DMs, a private interaction between two participants. One Maryville University blog post notes that the roots of social media can actually be found back in 1844, when the first telegraph was sent. The message was sent by inventor Samuel Morse from Baltimore to Washington, D.C., and consisted of a series of electronic dots and dashes that were tapped out (by hand) on a telegraph machine.
The invention of the telephone revolutionized the way we communicate. The first U.S. patent for such a device was given to Alexander Graham Bell in 1876, highlights Elon University. It’s further explained that the first telephone line came to fruition in 1877-78, along with the first switchboard and the very first telephone exchange. It took just three years for nearly 49,000 telephones to be in use, a fact that underlines the significant revolution that took place at the time. The Washington Post further expands on the roots of modern social interaction, and likens the telegraph to a modern day chat room. “All the operators along the line could hear everything that was transmitted and join in the unofficial banter, in effect occupying a single, shared chat room,” wrote English journalist Tom Standage in ‘Writing on the Wall: Social Media — the First 2,000 Years.”
A remarkable revolution
The first telephones have transformed greatly over time, with the first mobile phone call taking place on April 3rd in 1973 by Motorola engineer Marty Cooper. While the internet’s birthday is well regarded as January 1st of 1981, the first social media site, Six Degrees, was launched in 1997. The site provided users with an array of features such as profiles and friend lists, though the platform’s prevalence was limited due to the lack of people on the internet at the time. Friendster followed in 2001, along with LinkedIn in 2002, the launch of MySpace in 2003, Reddit in 2005, and the introduction of Facebook in 2008. Twitter introduced a short style blogging platform in 2006, while more modern platforms such as Instagram facilitated even more different ways of sharing and connecting with others around the globe.
The invention of the mobile telephone and online social platforms have since collided, and have become a staple in modern society with the ability to communicate present in the back pocket of people around the world. In 2023, Forbes notes that an estimated 4.9 billion people use social media around the world — this figure is expected to increase to approximately 5.85 billion users by the year 2027. Facebook reigns as the most used social media platform in 2023, and is noted to be the most visited social media site in America. Forbes further goes on to highlight the fact that the average person spends about 145 minutes on social media each day, a figure that showcases our dedication to online interaction.
Innovative platforms bring to light new options
Social interaction is important to both health and wellness. For example, connection with other people creates feelings of belonging and value, highlights the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Additionally, the CDC points out that individuals with stronger social bonds are more likely to live longer and healthier lives. With that in mind, Facebook isn’t the only social platform out there that aims to facilitate meaningful networking and connection. Newer platforms are reimagining how we connect while factoring in diverse interaction with others from around the globe. For example, instacams.com makes it possible for users to connect with others around the world via video chat in a way that prioritizes a safe and respectful environment. In turn, such an environment works to facilitate a meaningful interaction between users. One particularly innovative aspect of the platform is how it connects users to one another — while the matches are made with another user based on chosen preferences and settings, it’s important to note that these matches are random. This aspect works to encourage an authentic interaction, much like one that could happen in the real world at a coffee shop or bar. Smartphones are a staple in today’s social landscape, though we weren’t always able to communicate with a device that fits into our back pocket. Social connections range from the age-old letter writing to the more modern telegraph, with innovative digital platforms paving the way for the future of communication to come.