What is the future for social networks?

From MySpace and Friends Reunited to Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, social media has increasingly invaded all corners of our lives throughout the past decade.

It's played a key role in friendships and family, revolution and regime change, business and bands and everything from breaking news to breaking up relationships.

According to research by Sky Broadband, social media is used by 39million people in the UK aged 16 or older, a number that's only set to grow stronger as a generation of children weaned on digital technology become adults.

At Social Media Week London over the past few days, much of the talk has been about finding the next big "thing" while keeping one eye firmly in the present and on the innovations that got us to this point.

So as numerous events debated the future of a virtual industry, playing a real-life role for millions each and every day, we asked a couple of attendees to give us their verdict on how social media will continue to embed itself in our lives.

Alex Myers, social media consultant and co-founder of agency Manifest London, believes that while social media has always had the user at its heart, they're now set to play an even greater role in shaping its destiny.

[Related link: Sci-fi tech that became a reality]

He explained: "Social media was born from sites not trying to change the way we behave or to provide us with extra information, it was just to assist our behaviour.

“Facebook helps us to do the things we always have and wanted to more easily, such as sharing information or finding new and old friends. 

"Similarly, the creators of Twitter have said, it isn't a feat of technology, it's a feat of human interest. The content is defined by the user and more and more we are now seeing the user become the developer.

"The social media sites that take off are the ones defined by the user. Those that become popular to them."

Maz Nadjm, who recently set up his own social media agency SoMazi, agrees. He said: "A few years ago, people were embarrassed to say they dated online. Now we talk as if it is nothing.

"There are 800million people on Facebook and we have gone past those conversations about social media not being relevant. Even those who say they don't use it still like to be a voyeur and read about how other people use it.

"Due to their phenomenal success, Facebook and Twitter have become the rule. Moving from Facebook is like moving bank, it is painful. So we are stuck there, all our friends are there, and that's why so many sites and brands now integrate with it through Facebook Connect. That will only grow.

"But technology doesn't change, what changes is people's behaviour and that's where social media advances.

"We are all now enjoying the benefits in some way. Whether that is getting better service and deals, saving money or finding information faster.

"Now we want that more and more. We don't just think it's cool now. We expect it. Social commerce is the next evolution with companies making money from us as users sharing our interests with others."

He added: "For example, Fashism – backed by Hollywood actor Ashton Kutcher – is a simple idea. People post photos of themselves and ask people to advise them on their look. You can upload an outfit you're trying on in a store, get feedback instantly, and if it's good, go and purchase it.

"Pose is very similar and works via your smartphone. You take a photo of your fashion, and people tell you if you look OK. It is highly targeted and very active with young users. The journey and success is defined by people's interest."

Mr Myers agreed, pointing to upcoming sites like Pinterest, a social bookmarking forum where users can collate content and photos grouped into "boards" of topics and share it with others.

He said: "The idea is born from sites like Delicious and Digg where sharing web links is the world of the geek.

"But this allows the average user to easily make of it what they want. You can have a pinboard for any area of your life."

But with so much information now being shared by so many with so many, Mr Myers believes we're reaching a tipping point where rather than that expanding, social media will begin to contract into smaller, more private segments giving then user much more control on who they say what to.

He explained: "One example is Path. It is a private network. In the past with the likes of MySpace and Facebook, it was all about how many friends you had. But this allows us to limit our behaviour online. You are limited to just 75 friends and that makes each interaction more personal.

"The more and more content you expose to more and more people, the less personal it becomes. It isn't about popularity, it's about emotion and you can maintain a level of privacy.

"There's a phrase called frictionless sharing, for example when I can see on Facebook what someone is reading on another website or listening to on the likes of Spotify. They might be sitting next to me in the office and I can hear the music playing, so I don't want to see it on Facebook too. People will begin to resist all the barrage of information, which makes the meaningful messages harder to see.

"Google+ is doing this with the Circles you can create and place people into. Facebook is also having to do the same by allowing you to create groups who you share certain things with.

"This is where we are heading but it's a big job to manage your social profile and who you want to see what as your relationships change in the real world. The new social networks will make this a lot easier with specific networks for particular interests, with the likes of Facebook and Twitter still above that."

And Mr Myers believes that could open the door for an old friend to make a massive resurgence.

He predicted: "MySpace is the social network to watch. It has always had longevity. It is defined by music and is not going away as it's still a major force for music.

"With Justin Timberlake as one of its backers and the fact it was bought for a knock-down price, it is not expensive to run.

"It also still looks the coolest and has added a million users and is growing again. It is not facing slowing growth like Facebook.

"Sometimes, being the jack of all trades isn't all that fun."