Is Facebook Replacing Email?

As we discussed previously, Facebook is a kind of social media, (Click here if you don't know what social media is.) and email is a type of one-to-one communication very similar to regular paper-and-ink mail. (Click here if you don't know what email is.) How then could something so private as email be being replaced by something as open as Facebook?

A study of teens preferred methods of communication (source) shows that email use is declining in many demographics that grew up with computers. SMS messaging (AKA "texting") and IMs ("Instant Messages") are growing in popularity as more people have devices that can access the Internet whenever they want. I know I might have lost some of you with talking about texting and IMing, but don't worry. Here's a 15-second explanation for purposes of this article. I'll start working on full-length articles explaining them individually right after this!

SMS and MMS messages are either words (SMS) or pictures/videos (MMS) that are sent between cell phones over the cell phone towers. They do not require the Internet, and messages can wait in an inbox for the recipient to read them.

IMs are most commonly used between computers and/or cell phones. They require the Internet, can carry words or pictures, and are usually used as a more conversational alternative to emails. They require both users to be active at the same time- there is no "inbox" like email for messages to wait.

So why are more and more people using SMS and IM instead of email? I think (though no one knows for sure) that it's very similar to why people started having phone conversations instead of writing letter back when telephones started becoming more popular. It just feels more natural to have a conversation than to write a long letter, send it, wait for a response, and then reply back. SMS and IMs give the instant gratification and conversational feel that people enjoy.

Is Facebook replacing email? Not entirely, and not yet. I think "replacing" is a bit of an alarmist phrase, but I would say that people are shifting to more conversational methods for their day-to-day lives.

Practical Tip of the Day:
Not sure if you should send someone a message via email, text or social media? The general rule of thumb I use is that emails are good for long dialogs. For example, if you subscribe to this blog via email, you'll receive a message that tells you there's new post, and gives you more information. If you need to tell someone a message that isn't very private (if you don't care if others read it), and isn't very long, social media is good for that. If you have a short but private message, texting might be the way to go. (Note: Yes, I know phones work for talking too, but I'm only discussing written media right now. If you have something personal or private to tell someone in-person or phone conversations are considered the best form of communication in modern etiquette.)