Social networking limbo

Social networking right now is gimmicky and pointless. I don't like what it is, but I have to admit that I see a ton of potential.

Facebook has become dominant among social networks, but they have been following the same path as AOL. Do you even remember AOL? This was an online service trying to control content just to fade into obscurity once an open alternative became available.

Isolated social networking lacks practicality. Sure, there are a lot of Facebook users out there, but there are also numerous individuals who haven't given in to the fad. In order for social networking to have a positive impact on society, the concept needs to be decentralized.

I first started discussing my desire for social networking progress around the time Google launched Google+. At that time, I described the eventualities of social networking by insisting that someone could put a friend from Facebook into a friend's circle in Google+, and friends-only pictures on Flickr would become visible as a result.

I am still waiting. Social networking hasn't really budged since the concept emerged. Despite being a fairly young industry, we are probably already well over a decade behind where we need to be. While I have played around a little with social networks, I still lack any real reason to embrace the platform. There's a part of me that wants to dive in, but the right social network for me hasn't been developed yet. I feel like social networking is in limbo until we finally pursue the long-overdue eventuality of an inclusionary social networking model.