Zehra Naqvi fondly reminisces about the enchanting era of the early social internet.
She experienced the vibrant communities of One Direction and Marvel fandoms during the early 2010s. It was a time when Instagram was filled with photos of lattes filtered through Valencia and Twitter was a hub for humor and cultural discussions.
However, the landscape has shifted dramatically since then. Instagram is now dominated by influencers, and Twitter has evolved into a polarized digital town hall.
Naqvi highlighted the shift towards interest-based, specialized online communities in contrast to the broad platforms like Facebook and Instagram. She recently launched her company, Lore, aimed at helping fans stay connected with their fandoms.
Users are increasingly seeking out tailored online spaces that cater to their specific interests rather than generic social media sites, according to Naqvi.
Natalie Dillon, a venture investor at Maveron, noted the rising trend of founders creating interest-focused networks.
