By Thomas Sellers Jr.
For more than a decade, the journey of Thomas Sellers Jr. can be documented on Facebook.com.
In times of isolation or quarantine, a social media app might be your only lifeline to the outside world.
Since March, the world has been flipped upside down. And social media has added to the chaos of coronavirus/COVID-19. Certain apps have reported fake news created by people all across the world. Facebook has apparently awarded several medical degrees, with people diagnosing cures for COVID-19. On the same app, news has been broken on businesses reopening, firings at the White House and a wave of deaths.
On the other hand, social media apps have been a source of escape, entertainment or a way to pass the time. If you log onto your favorite social media app long enough, you will get a conspiracy theory about the coronavirus, an informative piece that is factual about the disease and a link to mainstream/traditional news.
There is good and bad news to be found all over your cellphone through these apps. There are human interest stories on social media and info about charity during these tough times.
But, warning: There are some scams developing on these apps and idiotic attempts at comedy related to the COVID-19.
Whether you are a fan or frequent user of social media, or a person who occasionally hops onto a site, we all have a vice in this medium. Here are my top 10 social media apps of all time. All the entries have been a part of my cellphone or laptop lineup at one point of time since 2003.
10. Flickr
Date launched: Feb. 10, 2004
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia
Flickr is a North American image hosting and video hosting service. As an amateur/professional photographer, I used Flickr to get some clients to do weddings, senior photos and baby pictures.
It was helpful to get me some gigs and connections in my profession. Mainly Flickr gave me photo ideas and lessons in new styles.
9. LinkedIn
Date launched: May 5, 2003
Hometown: Mountain View, Calif.
LinkedIn is an American business and employment-oriented online service that operates via websites and mobile apps. LinkedIn had been underused in my life. In the early 2000s, LinkedIn was a great way to get in touch with other professions and my colleagues. Then LinkedIn became a good way to help fill job voids and reach out to new potential coworkers. It is like a floating resumé and gives a person in the job market more access to the market. And if you’re the boss, you have a field of candidates you can vet without all the heavy lifting.
8. Myspace
Date launched: Aug. 1, 2003
Hometown: Beverly Hills, Calif.
Myspace is an American social networking service. It was the very first social media application I ever had. And yes, I used it on a personal computer. It was a weird thing for me to post pictures of me and write things about me. I was not the most interesting person in the world.
Then I quickly learned that most of my friends I knew in real life were lying on Myspace. They created a whole new image and personality. The persona they made on Myspace was impressive and made me a little jealous.
Since I wasn’t willing to lie and be a false Thomas, I quietly walked away from Myspace. I bet my Myspace page is still floating out there in cyberspace. If you’re out there, hi, Tom!
7. Skype
Date launched: Aug. 29, 2003
Hometown: European developers
Skype is a telecommunications application that specializes in providing video chat and voice calls between computers, tablets, mobile devices, the Xbox One console and smartwatches over the Internet. I’ve had a couple of interviews for my job via Skype. I can record the conversation, see the person and get a emotional feel for the discuss miles away from the subject. Skype also has other features like transmitting text, video, audio and images. It is a great app to have on your devices. With the video element it is easier for me not to get addicted.
6. Zoom
Date launched: April 21, 2011
Hometown: San Jose, Calif.
Zoom Video Communications Inc. is an American communications technology company. And in recent weeks, Zoom has become the way of life for businesses, churches, schools and organizations. Zoom provides videotelephony and online chat services through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software platform and is used for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education and social relations.
Zoom has even become the platform for television lately. Shows that used to host person-to-person conversations now have Zoom boxes on the screen.
People are either talking into their phone or laptop screen to all the folks logged onto Zoom.
I do have a question: Am I the only person that hears the Commodores’ “Zoom” when I go into a meeting?
5. Twitter
Date launched: March 21, 2006
Hometown: San Francisco, Calif.
Twitter is an American microblogging and social networking service on which users post and interact with messages known as “tweets.” I was super late to the Twitter bandwagon. I joined in 2019 for The Millington Star.
I used to believe Twitter made you appear to be a worshipper of others and appear that you felt as if you should be worshipped. But now I realize it is a good way to get information out to the public and receive news.
Twitter appears to have more deep thoughts expressed compared to other apps in the realm. There are still some foolish expressions within 140 characters. But for the most part, people police themselves better on Twitter.
4. Instagram
Date launched: Oct. 6, 2010
Hometown: Hashtag Haven
Instagram is an American photo and video-sharing social networking service owned by Facebook Inc. It was created by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger, and launched in October 2010 on iOS. Now Instagram is an industry. People are Instagram “Famous,” “Models” and “Moguls.” Instagram is a great way to promote your company, an idea and yourself.
What scares me about Instagram is the dedication some people have to the app. They do makeup, surgeries and stunts.
I use Instagram for The Millington Star by posting pictures of on-the-scene activities, featuring stories about to hit the newsstand or showcasing photos from the past. I won’t ever become an Instagram model because I am not cute enough. And being near 40 years old, it is too late for me to make money off my appearance.
But I hope The Star can be Instagram famous by getting news and information into more people’s hands.
3. Vine
Date launched: Jan. 24, 2013
Hometown: Vine Labs Inc. via Twitter
Vine was an American short-form video hosting service where users shared six-second-long, looping video clips. Vine was retired in 2017 devastating my recently purchased Android. Finally parting ways with my durable Blackberry, I was late to the Vine party.
Then I got news Vine was being cancelled. For months I would watch Vines through other platforms for multiple laughs.
The short format challenged content creators to be sharp, intelligent and creative to get a laugh. There wasn’t time for longwinded routines or speeches. And several Vine creators stepped up to the challenge and excelled. I still will binge watch Vines and get a good chuckle. The recent rise of TikTok has made me miss Vine even more, because these TikToks are horrible. The TikTok format gives these “comedians” too much time and they lose the joke after 10 seconds.
2. Facebook
Date launched: Feb. 4, 2004
Hometown: Cambridge, Mass.
Facebook Inc. is an American social media and technology company based in Menlo Park, Calif. It was founded by Mark Zuckerberg, along with fellow Harvard College students and roommates.
Once you had to have a college email to gain access to Facebook. Then the social media giant made the first of many changes that keep it relevant.
I’ve had a Facebook account since 2007, and I visit it at least once a week. We people over the age of 30 have hijacked the platform from the youth and use it as our hangout.
Facebook is the place to be for political debates, silly games, weird challenges and crazy lives. You can introduce the new grandchild, showcase the new job or display your metamorphosis in the gym.
Facebook can be used for stupidity, foolishness and evil. But the social media app can be a great way to stay in touch, communicate with loved ones and gain knowledge on various subjects.
I like to use Facebook for good.
1. YouTube
Date launched: Feb. 14, 2005
Hometown: San Mateo, Calif.
YouTube is an American online video-sharing platform. Despite all the stupid changes and silly rules, Youtube.com gets a visit from me daily. With frequent posts like “The Best Sellers’ List” and “Star Coverage,” I can consider myself a YouTuber.
I love providing content and seeing other creators take current topics and make them entertaining. YouTube is one app I’m going to tap more than once a day to pass the time, check out a relevant subject or go down memory lane.
I pray YouTube will get back to the good old days of frequent sharing, less strikes on content and freedom of opinions. We have to be adults and not click on the videos we don’t like. We can just support the content that deserves our viewing.
THOMAS SELLERS JR. is the editor of The Millington Star and both the sports editor and a weekly personal columnist for West 10 Media/Magic Valley Publishing. Contact him by phone at (901) 433-9138, by fax to (901) 529-7687 and by email to [email protected].
