The 1980s chat software Talk that gets mentioned really stuck out to me immediately. I think that two people’s texts getting mixed together is really cute lol. It makes online messages feel more like an actual conversation/dialogue, like this paper is discussing so far. If you’re speaking to two other people in the real world, you would get confused if they both spoke at once. And to avoid situations like that, humans have developed a social contract that encourages taking turns in a conversation, or excusing yourself when you interrupt. This is something that doesn’t exist in a text message, not really. I don’t think I’ve ever apologized for answering quickly when my friend has decided to throw in an extra sentence in a second message, and I’ve interrupted the flow.
“Users often create accounts on platforms that cater to a specific communicative need only to find that same platform adopt numerous additional and seemingly redundant features,” also really stuck out to me because YEAH. Why did everything have to be tiktok. Why do i need a short form video content on every single social media platform. Why the hell does tumblr need this. I don’t think I’ve ever intentionally opened that tab. I don’t think anyone has. But Tiktok is popular, Instagram reels are popular, and Youtube shorts are popular, so that means we MUST have our own version as well!!