Email is not a Social Network

In June 2006 MySpace was the most popular social network. It was overtaken in 2008 by Facebook, which officially launched in 2004. Google Buzz launched a few years later in 2010 – mostly an add-on to Gmail. These are just a handful of some of the most popular social networks. They allowed people to share thoughts, links, photos, recommendations – the list goes on and on. Different sites allow for different groups (or Networks, if you will) that can be set up for sharing various tidbits. The proliferation of these sites means we can stop using email for this type of sharing, and use it for what it was meant to be used for – useful communication.

In the past two days I have received probably about 7 emails with  random links and comments, and I am sure many of you have received many more. As much as I enjoy these, I think that they are more appropriately placed on facebook, or another network, where I can access them and check them out when I want to. There is a hierarchy to how we communicate, and some things aren’t quite worthy of email.

Back in the day you would have to visit, or call on, someone to communicate with them. You would stop by their house or shop and talk to them. Eventually you could write letters, and then call, and finally email. Each of these things has found its place in the social hierarchy. Sure, some people prefer a phone call to an email, or some people will poke their head in my office, rather than calling.

I am proposing a new addition to this hierarchy – the passive world of social networking. Some things deserved to be ‘posted’ for others to look at when they have time. Email in the workplace is rising, and so is its status. It does not need to be cluttered with such things as links to the Double Rainbow video on Youtube.

Why else would Google have created Buzz?