The Six Degrees of Social Media
Today, social media’s role in society is more critical than ever. From obtaining the daily news to watching viral videos, social media platforms serve as mediums to share content and help us understand the world. In fact, Vamp Brands reported in their article, The evolution of social media, that over 3.8 billion people use social media daily, approximately 45 percent of the world’s population (Vamp Brands, 2020). Along with personal use, social media aid businesses in sharing their brands and services/products on a broader scale.
Additionally, social media’s scope is multi-faceted. As I learned from Professor Blitch earlier this week, social media is a science and art between content and connection. Specifically, the science of social media looks at measurement and evaluation. [is our content working?] In contrast, the art of social media focuses on creating content that resonates with audiences.
Building upon this point, social media could promote interaction and build connections among users. According to the Psychology Today article, Making Real Connections in the Age of Social Media, Lara Otte, Psy.D., stated that, “Social media, if used in the right way, has great potential to inspire and connect people” (Otte, 2019).
During my first Introduction to Social Media lecture earlier this week, I learned about Six Degrees, which is considered the first social media platform. While I am familiar with older yet legendary online platforms, like myspace, I had not heard of Six Degrees before taking this course. I thought its scope and role in today’s society was fascinating, which prompted me to focus on Six Degrees for my first thought paper of this semester.
Andrew Weinreich formed Six Degrees in 1996 based on the “Six Degrees of Separation” Theory. As the name implies, Brandon Griggs of CNN explains that this theory explains that we are connected by six degrees from everyone (Griggs, 2014). By joining Six Degrees, users could send messages, post on bulletin boards, and “friend” each other. Additionally, the Six Degrees landing page expresses that users can build professional networks or connect with groups of friends based on their interests (Six Degrees, n.d.).
According to Vamp Brands, Six Degrees had 3.5 million users at its peak (Vamp Brands, 2020). However, Chenda Ngak of CBS News explained in the article, Then and now: A History of Social Networking Sites, that while Six Degrees had millions of users, networks were limited due to a lack of people being connected on the Internet. (Ngak, 2011). As a result, it was sold to YouthStream Media Networks in 2000.
While Six Degrees was short-lived, it still plays an essential role in digital history as the first social media platform. In doing so, Six Degrees enabled users to sign up for an account [by email address], create profiles, and add friends to their networks. Additionally, allowing users to interact and build connections outside of their networks reinforces the importance of two-way communication and relationship-building.
A recent example embodying the principles of the Six Degrees platform occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, Kevin Bacon took to his Instagram account to share an important message: stay home and practice social distancing. He posted a video holding a sign with the hashtag #IStayHomeFor and his wife’s name [actress Kyra Sedgwick], asking his followers to tag six friends to do the same.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B94RvpDni-X/?utm_medium=copy_link
Bacon reinforces that we are all connected by various degrees within his post, so he advocates utilizing the Six Degrees of Separation Theory for good. As a result, celebrities including David Beckham and Elton John participated in Bacon’s #IStayHomeFor challenge. Ultimately, while the Six Degrees platform was not directly involved in this challenge, its underlying message of fostering social connection is here to stay.
References
Kevin Bacon [@kevinbacon]. (2020, March 18). #IStayHomeFor @kikkosedg! Hey everybody, it’s now so important to stay home and keep our distance from others if you are [Video]. Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/p/B94RvpDni-X/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
Otte, L. (2019, December 18) Making Real Connections in the Age of Social Media. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-human-connection/201912/making-real-connections-in-the-age-social-media
Ngak, C. (2011, July 6). Then and now: A History of Social Networking Sites. CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/then-and-now-a-history-of-social-networking-sites/2/
Six Degrees. (n.d.). Six Degrees- Landing Page. http://sixdegrees.com/
Vamp Brands. (2020, February 28). The evolution of social media. https://vamp-brands.com/blog/2020/02/28/evolution-of-social-media/
