Self, when did you join the social media revolution?

It was 6^th grade when they got me. AOL Instant Messenger was the platform, and “aren’t you on A.I.M.?” the tag line. My friends and classmates were the recruiters, and it didn’t take much for me to think of a new alias, claim it as my own, and join their ranks.

I remember the exhilaration of that first chat using my new “s.n.” (screen name). Now I could be like the others, at last privy to the nuances of “A.I.M.“ culture.

Even my early brush with chat (now integrated into nearly every major social media platform) illustrates some integral aspects of digital culture: 

The seeds of identity authenticity and reputation were sown: a person’s screen name seemed to reveal more about them than their real name. We middle-schoolers were much more brave in our comments “on I.M.” than in person, and I remember exchanging with people who rarely if ever talked to me during the school day. I sometimes worried what my parents would think of my choice of friends if they saw their alter-egos spelled out on-screen.

Old ways were upset: It was not uncommon to call a friend and request that he or she “get on aim” so we could talk (incidentally, both activities tied up the phone line). Whether or not that girl im’ed you last night became as important as the note she might pass you during social studies the next day. We soon preferred the new medium of chat to the more traditional telephone conversation.

One way to consider the “social” in social media is that its technology spreads in response to social pressure. As having a screen name and chatting with friends online became the “in” thing to do, the technology was adopted by more and more people. Participation feeds the revolution.

When did you join the social media revolution?