Once last year, my close friend Rob McCaffrey called me after attending a technology conference for teenagers. He and I, along with two other dear friends from Valencia, chat often about technology, culture and how life continues to transform around us, especially impacting what we do in the College. In particular, we’ve talked often about how communication is deeply in flux; I say it is a “communication crisis.” So,Rob called me to announce that any thoughts we had about maybe using Facebook or even texting as a tool in the classroom was the wrong path.
“SnapChat,” he announced, “is where all of these students are; it was ever-present as they did their work in the contest area and through the conference.” The more students he spoke with, the more it was clear they had distanced themselves from Facebook. That fact is not unknown to Facebook. Last year, founder Mark Zuckerberg, in a discussion about the relationship with teens, said “coolness is done for us.” Fast Company, in an article about the ever-present social media company, did a side research project with teens in New York City. While clearly not a scientific study, the magazine was comfortable enough to report that these teens were largely indifferent to the blue giant of the tech world, and had departed to SnapChat or other new tools for communication. The possibilities, while not endless, seems to keep growing with apps like Kik, WhatsApp, Vine, Path, joining better known groups like Instagram and Pinterest.
There are, I think, a few different reasons why this is true for Millennials. Probably first there is that issue with cool. As more and more former college students age, and yet keep using Facebook, the average age of the users there go up. Perhaps there’s nothing worse for some kids than to see Facebook being used by their school, their professor or their parents. Secondly, there could be something to do with overkill. You simply can’t seem to avoid Facebook, and when you land on most websites these days, if they need you to join for some reason, Facebook is always one of the options. This is probably why most Millennials still have Facebook, but then are indifferent to actually using it actively. In the third place, there is something going on with mobile computing that allows for the proliferation of the various app choices, and in a culture where very few things last for a long time (whether consumer products or TV shows), trying the new thing (especially if unknown by the adults) is appealing.
Fourth, though, is something deeper and perhaps more profound. One Facebook insider told Fast Company, “To those who remain fixated on what the social network used to be, they’re just going to have to learn: we’re in a different world.” I think the source was actually speaking about internal changes within the company, and leaving aside the audacity of the statement of “different world” when talking about an industry or cultural idea that is less than a decade old, this speaks to the deeper truth where the Millennials may be able to lead us.
The Millennial generation is the hero archetype that is seen as good, eager, ready for collaboration, willing to work as a team for the betterment of all. They put great faith in others, particularly their friends and close associates. They will trust older people who are authentic and who give off clear evidence of willing to invest in not only the millennial personally, but in the success of the group. What this means, at the very least, is that while Facebook was designed to create social connection electronically, it is not authentic enough, and there is a better path in these other apps. These apps make the communication more instant, more personal. Snapchat, not only allows for the communication to erase (protecting at some level privacy), is very instant, very in-the-moment. It’s not “real life” but it is very close.
That provides then another clue of how the Millennials may lead us. As Fast Company was told by some of the teens they spoke to, the desire is for real life, what is real. One student stated, in a complaint about Facebook (but could be understood as a statement against the entire social media realm when those companies lose sight of the point of personal touch), “I mean, man, it’s like not real life. Not. Real. Life. Why would you be on there when there’s this?” He was pointing to the conversations and interactions of his friends.
I do think we are in a communication crisis. Perhaps Millennials sense it too, and are also looking for a solution, which could be to quit leaning on the behemoth companies that seem more intent on gathering our private data, and move to using simple apps that bring touch more to real….and then to just putting the device down somewhat in order to be in the real. I know this group isn’t bailing on their mobile devices…my own teen children attest that along with the research that says most kids would choose their smartphone over everything else if on a deserted island (including things like water, shelter or tools). Yet, perhaps in the mix, there is a path forward in this world.