Social Age
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Social Age is the societal era used to describe today's world of communication, and developed following the creation of the Information Age, which was defined as the era in which information was shifting from paper-based sharing to information being shared through technology. The World Wide Web contributed significantly to the Information Age with most information being free on the internet. The Social Age can be defined as the evolution of social interactions because of the advancements of the internet and the development of social media.[1] This differs from the sociological term "social aging", which is defined by the change in a person's social life as they age.[2] According to Dr. Julian Stodd, an internet writer and influence who popularized the recognition of this era, with electronic networks, social media applications, and websites, communication has shifted focus from accessing information on the internet to mass collaboration and creation of communities.[3]
With this change, influence and interactions are shaped more strongly by social networks and participation instead of institutional authority.[1]
Social Age is divergent from the Information Age as it gives more prominence to social factors when adopting and/or extending technology and information.[1] It further broadens the definition of Attention Age because the Social Age focuses on many forms of societal interactions including online relationships, collaboration and sharing.
Historical Development and Origins
The Social Age is generally understood as emerging from the preceding Information Age, a period characterized by the widespread use of information technology such as mobile phones and laptops in the mid-20th century. The invention of these technologies led to the creation of the ARPANET in 1969, which later evolved into the Internet, enabling unprecedented access to information and digital communication.
While the Information age emphasized the efficient transmission of information from producers, media companies, to consumers, individuals, the Social Age represents a shift toward more interactive and networked forms of engagement.[1] The Internet, in this context, functions as an enabling infrastructure rather than the defining feature of the Social Age itself.
The emergence of social media platforms in the early 2000s is widely cited as a key turning point in the development of the Social Age. Platforms such as YouTube, X, Instagram, among others, facilitated new modes of communication by allowing users to create, share and distribute content globally.[4] These platforms contributed to what has been described as “democratisation of publishing”, whereby individuals gained the ability to create and share content without relying on traditional media institutions.[5]
Despite its growing use in professional discourse, the concept of Social Age remains relatively underdeveloped in academic literature, with only limited references. As a result, its definition and scope continue to evolve.
