Social media is changing quickly, with new platforms popping up to compete with big names like Facebook and X. One of these new platforms is Butterflies AI, which lets users interact with both real people and AI characters. Tech expert Jay Springett joined Butterflies out of curiosity and discovered that it offered a unique experience, almost like a game where AIs tell their own stories. Even though he didn’t use it like regular social media, he found it interesting enough to watch for over six months. This shows that more people are looking for fun and interactive experiences online.

As more users become unhappy with major social media sites, alternatives like Bluesky are becoming popular. Data shows that fewer people are using X every day, and Facebook is also seeing less traffic. Bluesky has gained millions of users by letting people customize their feeds and choose how they want to moderate their content. This different approach gives users more control over their online experience, unlike traditional platforms that are more centralized.

However, making Bluesky as big as Facebook and X is not easy. Experts like Andy Tattersall point out that it’s important to find a balance between making money, keeping users safe, and managing content. At the same time, projects like Free Our Feeds, supported by famous people, are trying to create a more open social media environment using the AT Protocol, which is the foundation of Bluesky. This project wants to address worries about centralized control and ensure social media serves the public good.

Another challenge for new platforms is Metcalfe’s Law, which says that a network is more valuable when it has more users. This means that larger networks have more resources, making it tough for smaller platforms to compete. Organizations like the Social Web Foundation are trying to find ways to overcome this challenge by creating platforms that can work together and share content from different services. This way, users can have a smooth experience without depending on just one big platform. Alongside these changes, niche social media apps are also emerging, each offering something different, like Mozi, which encourages real-life connections, and Flipboard’s Surf app, which helps users access content from various platforms in one place.

Original news source: What’s next for social media? (BBC)

🎧 Listen:

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Normal

Fast

📖 Vocabulary:

Group or Classroom Activities

Warm-up Activities:

– CHARADES
Instructions: Divide the class into small groups. Each group will take turns acting out different social media-related words or phrases from the article without speaking, while the other groups guess what they are. Examples include “Butterflies AI,” “Bluesky,” and “real-life connections.”

– OPINION POLL
Instructions: Create a set of statements related to the article, such as “Social media is becoming too centralized” or “I prefer using new platforms like Bluesky over Facebook.” Students will walk around the classroom and ask their classmates how they feel about each statement, collecting responses to discuss as a class afterward.

– HEADLINE CREATION
Instructions: Have students work in pairs to create catchy headlines for the article, emphasizing the main ideas and the impact of new social media platforms. After they create their headlines, each pair can present their favorite to the class for discussion.

– MIND MAP
Instructions: On a large piece of paper or whiteboard, draw a central circle with “Social Media Changes” written in it. Students will brainstorm and add branches for each major point from the article, such as “Butterflies AI,” “User Control,” and “Challenges for New Platforms,” allowing them to visually organize the information.

– SPEED SUMMARIZING
Instructions: Students will pair up and take turns summarizing sections of the article to each other within a two-minute time limit. After one person summarizes, they switch roles. This will help them practice concise speaking and listening skills while reinforcing their understanding of the article’s content.

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. What is Butterflies AI, and how does it differ from traditional social media platforms?

2. Why did Jay Springett decide to join Butterflies AI, and what did he find interesting about it?

3. How is Bluesky attracting more users compared to major social media sites like Facebook and X?

4. What challenges do new social media platforms face when trying to compete with larger networks?

5. What is the significance of Metcalfe’s Law in the context of social media networks?

6. How are projects like Free Our Feeds aiming to improve the social media environment?

7. What role does the Social Web Foundation play in helping smaller platforms compete with larger ones?

8. Can you name two niche social media apps mentioned in the article and explain what each one offers?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

Social media is changing quickly, with new platforms popping up to compete with big names like Facebook and X. One of these new platforms is Butterflies AI, which lets users (1)______ with both real people and AI characters. Tech (2)______ Jay Springett joined Butterflies out of curiosity and discovered that it (3)______ a unique experience, almost like a game where AIs tell their own stories. Even though he didn’t use it like regular social media, he found it interesting enough to (4)______ for over six months. This shows that more people are looking for fun and interactive experiences (5)______.

As more (6)______ become (7)______ with major social media sites, alternatives like Bluesky are becoming popular. Data shows that fewer people are using X every day, and Facebook is also seeing less traffic. Bluesky has gained millions of users by letting people (8)______ their feeds and choose how they want to moderate their content. This different approach gives users more control over their online experience, unlike traditional platforms that are more centralized.

However, making Bluesky as big as Facebook and X is not easy. Experts like Andy Tattersall point out that it’s (9)______ to find a balance between (10)______ money, keeping users safe, and managing content. At the same time, projects like Free Our Feeds, supported by famous people, are trying to create a more open (11)______ media environment using the AT (12)______, which is the foundation of Bluesky. This project wants to address worries about centralized control and ensure social media serves the public good.

Another challenge for new platforms is Metcalfe’s Law, which says that a network is more valuable when it has more users. This means that larger networks have more resources, making it (13)______ for smaller (14)______ to compete. Organizations like the (15)______ Web Foundation are (16)______ to find ways to overcome this challenge by creating platforms that can work together and share content from different services. This way, users can have a smooth experience without depending on just one big platform. Alongside these changes, niche social media apps are also emerging, each offering something different, like Mozi, which encourages real-life connections, and Flipboard’s Surf app, which helps users access content from various platforms in one place.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is your favorite social media platform and why do you like it?
2. How would you feel if a new social media app became more popular than Facebook?
3. Do you think it’s important for social media to have both real people and AI characters? Why or why not?
4. Have you ever tried a new social media app? What was your experience like?
5. What do you think makes a social media platform successful?
6. How would you feel if you could customize your social media feed completely?
7. Do you like the idea of more control over your online experience? Why?
8. What is a major problem you think social media faces today?
9. How do you think social media can serve the public good?
10. Do you think smaller social media platforms can compete with giants like Facebook? Why or why not?
11. What do you think about the idea of niche social media apps? Would you use one?
12. How would you feel if social media became more focused on real-life connections?
13. Do you think it’s possible to find a balance between making money and keeping users safe on social media? Why?
14. What is a feature you wish your favorite social media platform had?
15. How do you think social media will change in the next five years?

Individual Activities

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. platforms
2. interact
3. curiosity
4. centralized
5. balance
6. protocol
7. foundation
8. valuable
9. resources
10. overcome
11. niche
12. emerging
13. connections
14. access
15. various

Meanings:
(A) A strong desire to know or learn something
(B) To successfully deal with or get past a problem
(C) A set of rules or procedures for doing something
(D) To communicate or engage with someone or something
(E) Supplies or materials that can be used to help achieve something
(F) Worth a lot or very useful
(G) The base or groundwork of something
(H) Relationships or links between people or things
(I) Different kinds or types
(J) Controlled by a single authority or place
(K) A specific, specialized segment of the market
(L) Online services or sites where people can share and communicate
(M) A state where different things are equal or in the correct proportions
(N) Starting to become known or noticed
(O) The ability to get or use something
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What is the name of the new social media platform that allows users to interact with AI characters?
(a) Bluesky
(b) Facebook
(c) Butterflies AI
(d) X

2. Who is the tech expert mentioned in the article that joined Butterflies AI?
(a) Andy Tattersall
(b) Jay Springett
(c) Mark Zuckerberg
(d) Elon Musk

3. What has contributed to the rise of Bluesky as an alternative social media platform?
(a) Customizable feeds
(b) Celebrity endorsements
(c) Video content
(d) Gaming features

4. What is one of the main challenges for new social media platforms according to the article?
(a) User engagement
(b) Metcalfe’s Law
(c) Advertising revenue
(d) Privacy concerns

5. What does the project Free Our Feeds aim to address?
(a) User data privacy
(b) Content creation
(c) Video sharing
(d) Centralized control in social media

6. Which organization is mentioned as trying to help smaller platforms compete with larger networks?
(a) Social Web Foundation
(b) Butterflies AI
(c) Bluesky
(d) Facebook

7. What does the Surf app by Flipboard help users do?
(a) Create social media posts
(b) Connect with friends
(c) Play games
(d) Access content from various platforms

8. What type of social media apps are emerging alongside larger platforms?
(a) Video streaming apps
(b) E-commerce apps
(c) Niche social media apps
(d) Blogging platforms

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Tech expert Jay Springett found Butterflies AI mundane and stopped using it after six months.
2. Social media is evolving quickly with new platforms trying to compete with established ones like Facebook and X.
3. Experts believe it’s challenging for new platforms to grow as large as Facebook and X due to the value of larger networks.
4. Bluesky is gaining popularity as an alternative to major social media sites like Facebook and X.
5. Niche social media apps, like Mozi and Flipboard’s Surf app, are declining in popularity and failing to offer unique experiences for users.
6. More users are looking for fun and interactive online experiences instead of traditional social media.
7. Butterflies AI prohibits users from interacting with real people and restricts communication to only AI characters.
8. Bluesky restricts users from customizing their feeds and does not offer any options for moderating their content.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Check your writing now with the best free AI for English writing!

Writing Questions:

Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
Check your answers with our free English writing assistant!

1. What unique experience did Jay Springett find when he joined Butterflies AI?
2. Why are platforms like Bluesky becoming more popular among users?
3. What challenge do new social media platforms face according to Metcalfe’s Law?
4. How does the project Free Our Feeds aim to improve social media?
5. Can you name two niche social media apps mentioned in the article and what they offer?

✅ Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. What is Butterflies AI, and how does it differ from traditional social media platforms?
Butterflies AI is a new social media platform that allows users to interact with both real people and AI characters. It differs from traditional platforms because it offers a unique experience where AIs tell their own stories, making it feel more like a game rather than just a regular social media experience.

2. Why did Jay Springett decide to join Butterflies AI, and what did he find interesting about it?
Jay Springett joined Butterflies AI out of curiosity. He found it interesting because it provided a unique and interactive experience that kept him engaged for over six months, even though he didn’t use it like regular social media.

3. How is Bluesky attracting more users compared to major social media sites like Facebook and X?
Bluesky is attracting more users by allowing them to customize their feeds and choose how they want to moderate their content. This gives users more control over their online experience, which is appealing compared to the more centralized approach of traditional platforms.

4. What challenges do new social media platforms face when trying to compete with larger networks?
New social media platforms face challenges like the need to balance making money, keeping users safe, and managing content. They also struggle to attract enough users to compete with the larger networks that have more resources.

5. What is the significance of Metcalfe’s Law in the context of social media networks?
Metcalfe’s Law states that a network is more valuable when it has more users. This means that larger social media networks are more appealing because they have more resources and connections, making it difficult for smaller platforms to compete effectively.

6. How are projects like Free Our Feeds aiming to improve the social media environment?
Projects like Free Our Feeds aim to create a more open social media environment by using the AT Protocol, which is the foundation of Bluesky. They want to address concerns about centralized control and ensure that social media serves the public good.

7. What role does the Social Web Foundation play in helping smaller platforms compete with larger ones?
The Social Web Foundation is working to create platforms that can work together and share content from different services. This helps smaller platforms compete with larger ones by allowing users to have a smoother experience without relying on just one big platform.

8. Can you name two niche social media apps mentioned in the article and explain what each one offers?
Two niche social media apps mentioned are Mozi and Flipboard’s Surf app. Mozi encourages real-life connections among users, while Flipboard’s Surf app helps users access content from various platforms in one place, making it easier to find what they want.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) interact
(2) expert
(3) offered
(4) watch
(5) online
(6) users
(7) unhappy
(8) customize
(9) important
(10) making
(11) social
(12) Protocol
(13) tough
(14) platforms
(15) Social
(16) trying
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. platforms
Answer: (L) Online services or sites where people can share and communicate

2. interact
Answer: (D) To communicate or engage with someone or something

3. curiosity
Answer: (A) A strong desire to know or learn something

4. centralized
Answer: (J) Controlled by a single authority or place

5. balance
Answer: (M) A state where different things are equal or in the correct proportions

6. protocol
Answer: (C) A set of rules or procedures for doing something

7. foundation
Answer: (G) The base or groundwork of something

8. valuable
Answer: (F) Worth a lot or very useful

9. resources
Answer: (E) Supplies or materials that can be used to help achieve something

10. overcome
Answer: (B) To successfully deal with or get past a problem

11. niche
Answer: (K) A specific, specialized segment of the market

12. emerging
Answer: (N) Starting to become known or noticed

13. connections
Answer: (H) Relationships or links between people or things

14. access
Answer: (O) The ability to get or use something

15. various
Answer: (I) Different kinds or types
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What is the name of the new social media platform that allows users to interact with AI characters?
Answer: (c) Butterflies AI

2. Who is the tech expert mentioned in the article that joined Butterflies AI?
Answer: (b) Jay Springett

3. What has contributed to the rise of Bluesky as an alternative social media platform?
Answer: (a) Customizable feeds

4. What is one of the main challenges for new social media platforms according to the article?
Answer: (b) Metcalfe’s Law

5. What does the project Free Our Feeds aim to address?
Answer: (d) Centralized control in social media

6. Which organization is mentioned as trying to help smaller platforms compete with larger networks?
Answer: (a) Social Web Foundation

7. What does the Surf app by Flipboard help users do?
Answer: (d) Access content from various platforms

8. What type of social media apps are emerging alongside larger platforms?
Answer: (c) Niche social media apps
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Tech expert Jay Springett found Butterflies AI mundane and stopped using it after six months. (Answer: False)
2. Social media is evolving quickly with new platforms trying to compete with established ones like Facebook and X. (Answer: True)
3. Experts believe it’s challenging for new platforms to grow as large as Facebook and X due to the value of larger networks. (Answer: True)
4. Bluesky is gaining popularity as an alternative to major social media sites like Facebook and X. (Answer: True)
5. Niche social media apps, like Mozi and Flipboard’s Surf app, are declining in popularity and failing to offer unique experiences for users. (Answer: False)
6. More users are looking for fun and interactive online experiences instead of traditional social media. (Answer: True)
7. Butterflies AI prohibits users from interacting with real people and restricts communication to only AI characters. (Answer: False)
8. Bluesky restricts users from customizing their feeds and does not offer any options for moderating their content. (Answer: False)
Go back to questions ⇧