Has social media eliminated the need for third places?
BY: ELIZABETH CLEARY
Managing Editor
Third places, a term coined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, refer to social places outside of the home (the first place) and work/school (the second place.) These spaces primarily serve as a means to foster community and promote social interaction. With the ever growing dependence on social media and online interaction following the Covid-19 pandemic, third places such as cafes, parks, fitness centers and libraries have experienced a decline. Young people are relying on online entertainment and interaction to substitute for traditional in-person connection. The question must be asked: can social media effectively serve as a third place? Furthermore, what does the loss of face-to-face interaction mean for how young people socialize?
The University of Chicago English Language Institute defines the following as significant to third places: affordability, accessibility, a focus on conversation and the opportunity to connect with those likeminded to oneself as well as to meet people from different backgrounds and social statuses. When applying this to social media, all of these elements seem to line up. Most social media apps and websites are free to use and the vast majority of Americans have access to them. Furthermore, social media is designed to foster community and spark interaction. Conversations held in comment sections, livestreams and direct messages fit the criteria for connection with others. In these ways, social media is a third place, though not without drawbacks.
Total reliance on social media for connection has been proven to result in feelings of isolation as the rate of loneliness increases nearly every year according to Massachusetts Daily Collegian. When social interactions are solely limited to social media, interactions begin to lose crucial elements such as non-verbal cues, unplanned encounters and the sensory aspects of a physical place. Given these drawbacks, why do young people treat it as a preferred third place?
Here, again, accessibility comes into play. Inflation and the high cost of living have resulted in young adults working more hours, thus having less time to focus on building community. While social media is always a click away, a trip to a public library or fitness center may seem tasking after a long day. Additionally, many traditional third places have begun to maximize profits and raise prices, which hits on the affordability aspect of these spaces. Given this, it makes sense that social media, a close second to physical third places, would dominate the way in which young people interact.
Face-to-face connection diminishing does have its consequences in terms of socialization. The most notable consequence being decreased social skills. Online it is difficult, and at times impossible, to read body language and understand tone, both of which contribute to holding conversations in person and forming lasting relationships. People who rely heavily on social media for connection may also experience social anxiety when it comes to face-to-face interaction. This social anxiety was notable following the Covid-19 pandemic wherein the majority of Americans were communicating online. Still, this anxiety lingers for many as online interaction has, in ways, become the new norm.
So, can social media effectively serve as a third place? Not effectively, no. While it meets the criteria for being a third place, it still lacks critical elements that work to build community. Social media does have its place in the ways of connection, but it should not be the main source of interaction for anyone outside of the home and workplace. Even something as simple as frequenting a coffee shop or attending community events at a public library can provide the opportunity for social interaction. There will always be third places that are affordable, accessible and a ground for fostering conversation for those who seek it out. In the current digital age, it is more important than ever that people do seek out conversations and relationships with one another, building a community around themselves that allows for a sense of well-being and a respite from the rising loneliness epidemic.
