I really don't think it's a fad.

It's a new form of community.

I can see it changing in essence, but no, it's not going away.

As long as we have the basic building blocks of sites like the Sift, there will be people who participate.

That was very well done, thanks.

Here was the first one: http://videosift.com/video/Social-Media-Revolution It's interesting so see what info they've updated.

It's no more a fad than the postal service, the telephone or break time around the water cooler. I'm sure it'll eventually take a back seat to new technology 20 years down the road - perhaps some kind of virtual telepathy?

*music

Adding video to channels (Music) - requested by ant.

I'm hoping things like Facebook and such will eventually evolve to people just meeting in big meeting places. There will just be these hang out like spots where you'll get a message on your social networking site and you'll drop by and hang out. Eventually people will stop using the sites and just stop by and hang out, going back to a more traditional method of interaction. It'll be different in some ways because of people with Laptops and iPad-like devices, and they'll use those to stimulate conversation by showing clips of stuff or pointing out articles that everyone will instantly have on their tech device in the immediate area of the Hang out spot.

The problem is my idea will eventually begin to influence people, they'll get together and start forming a real democracy and discuss real issues and act on it. That's what the people who own and the people that control society won't be able to stand so they'll have to find ways to focus the people in their hang outs on other things. Like making giant screens or blasting music to distract them...anyways I'm done ranting now, enjoy your day.

I beginning to feel like much of it is too much like getting group forwarded emails from every person i've ever met. Information overload.

But the same thing happened with each of the other phases like Email and Web browsing:

First it's cool, then it balloons but is still useful, then they sell your details to advertisers and the level of information explodes exponentially till you can't find the gems amongst all the trivial and advertising.

Then someone else comes along and filters it all back down again. The spam filter or Google equivalent bringing only the most interesting things to the top of the front page for you.