Read on to see AllDolledUp's perspective!

Once upon a time, before people "tweeted", "#hashtagged", followed, "posted it for the 'gram", liked with thumbs ups and hearts: the internet was a very different place for those of us old enough to remember the early days of online social networks. 

"ADU! What do you mean... Social Network? Isn't that like a movie?" 

Admit it, you thought this just now, didn't you? Well, my darlings all joking aside, social networks are made up of people "networking,"or interacting with each other, socially in real life, and most recently in human history, online as well. Oh, and no, Mark Zuckerberg did not invent social networks, if anything he reinvented what online social networking meant on a global scale with his very successful website. 

Then and Now

The internet as we know it, has been around for many decades, and the social networking websites that I first remember signing up for included MySpace, hi5, AIM, and AOL. Social networks have grown beyond comprehension, and cover many aspects of online commerce and niches. There are communities for almost anything, and a lot of us here on Stardoll like to think of this website as a social network of dolls, and as a virtual fashion community! 

Nostalgia - While growing up, I remember teaching myself HTML and picking up different hobbies, from photography to blogging all thanks to the different websites and communities that I've been exposed to. 

However, what the collective population now calls social media (the embodiment of social networks, news outlets, blogs/vlogs, and e-marketing) has always had its dark side. Which is why I personally choose to keep my identity and personal life, private, and away from the perils of oversharing online. (Never ever post or message something you will regret, because everything you post online and put out into the world will stay online forever!

While we are still recalling things, catfishing was and still persists to be a problem we should all be wary of. Never give out your personal information, and stay away from webcam sites. Predators and offenders have always hunted online for children. 

When I was a child, I discovered my fascination for fantasy, sci-fi, supernatural, and dystopian fiction. I remember reading books that featured futurism concepts such as people living in distant future where they were obsessed with fame, plastic surgery was practically the status quo and required by law in order to conform, and people chanting their names in order to remain relevant on the daily social feeds, because fame equaled currency, while their "hover cameras" followed them around vlogging and broadcasting their daily lives. I remember thinking some of it seemed strange, and mind you, this was when people were still posting terrible music covers and no one even reached 1 million subscribers. All of these ideas are a reality now, and I envision our future, maybe not necessarily with the same websites still around but some still will be, and people's digital footprint following them for the rest of their lives, no privacy, augmented reality.

 A most recent phenomenon, is the power social media has over modern society. This includes influencers, news outlets, "going viral", and social movements. Before, people got their news from newspapers, magazines and TV, now you can be updated about the latest natural disaster, or Kardashian baby and their outfit every 10 minutes. We surely live in a world of distractions and illusions. 

However, Social Media can do some good, and without it, the many online movements we are aware of today probably would not exist in their current capacity. I am convinced augmented & virtual reality will replace the way social networking and information are exchanged. 

Just imagine all the ads! 

Tell me, where do you see social media and popular network sites 20 years from now? (Keep in mind twenty years ago Google had just launched. A lot has changed since then!) Will we still be taking selfies? Would you ever stop using social media, or do you thrive off it? Write it all in the comments below.

Featured photo: Goonies4ver in Ready Player One Virtual Reality den

Written by AllDolledUp