Does anyone remember MySpace? That's the site where you...yea I don't remember either.

Social media is obviously here to stay. But how long does a social website last? I used MySpace as an example because everyone seemed to have had an account with them. We all posted our pictures and popped some songs on there, then the comments from your friends that were well...we'll call then "funny" for now. Enter Facebook - MySpace becomes My_ (because we forgot what it was) and those embarrassing pictures migrated over.

You see social media everywhere now, even in the news. "Twitter lights up in <place country here>" or "Facebook is changing <place country here>". Is it really changing the world as we know it? Or is it the media just stuffing this down our throats? Maybe a little bit of both?

As I was writing this, I saw something about the new Unthink.com website which is the "Anti-Facebook". Can it be true? Depends on what they do and how it's handled I guess. There's always that one company that tries to copy another and adds another bell or whistle. If the media hypes Unthink more and more, then maybe it will become what they claim they aren't - Facebook.

So after doing some thinking, I've been trying to figure out how long a social media site lasts, or a general website for that matter. A few things popped in my head that I think may lead to a social media website downfall. You can even put this list as a general product downfall as well. These are WAY open for discussion.

1. Not enough attention to the website
The site doesn't offer anything new so it comes and goes. Nobody cares. These aren't the droids you're looking for, move along.

2. TOO much attention and we're sick of it
This may sound odd, but there will be a time when it becomes too much and people will start to hate it and finally look for something new! Oh no! Change again?!

3. Everyone signs up with multiple accounts...for their dog
Nobody cares if Fido had an accident in the living room. This is really just people avoiding others or forgetting their password. It becomes flooded with so many accounts that a person will go to a new site to forget the other one - on purpose! Yes, I know people who have done this.

4. Businesses use the website to advertise - A LOT!
While I understand that businesses need to advertise, there's no need to smear your brand all over the interweb. Sooner or later a site becomes a giant commercial where the individuals become lost in a sea of businesses and may be forced to leave. You're on www.whateversocialsite.com/anotherbusiness? Wow, me too!

5. Ads, ads, ads...can you stop with the ads?
This is sort of like #4, but instead the ads are in our face, open a new window (if Netflix pops up one more time....), use all of our precious space and my new "WTF?!" is the videos that play on every site I go to. Please stop. It hurts.

6. Spam from fake accounts!
My IT side cringes with this. Very few people investigate where an email is coming from. "Click here to save your friends list" is a dangerous email. Eventually, a website will be overwhelmed with keylogged users. Yes social sites are cracking down on this, but nothing is ever safe. Granny isn't going to tweet about viagra - or is she?

7. Privacy Concerns
Where is your info going? Do you even bother reading the privacy policy of a website? 98% of the time I don't either. If a site has "sold" your email and other personal information prior to their new privacy policy, that information has already been spread around. We now go to something new with more "private" settings. Sorry to see you go but here's another offer!

8. The Competition!
MySpace vs Facebook. Facebook won! The competition destroyed the website. So it's obviously a matter of time before something new comes out and takes over. You can't even say that it's a monopoly either, since there are other companies out there doing the same thing. Gotta love competition. Collect $200M and Pass Go!

Remember, this is just a bunch of observations and completely my opinion. I also never claim to be a writer nor a social media guru. I think this list can apply to just about anything on the web or even in general business practice itself. Is Facebook here to stay or will it become My_? Is Google Plus or Unthink the next social media giant? Please share your thoughts.

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