Why the social media revolution is about to get a little less awesome

Facebook’s IPO hasn’t lived up to expectations, and that doesn’t bode well for other social media companies … or for users. Since the IPO, venture capital investors in social media startups are no longer content with companies simply able to prove a large, engaged user base. They want to see a revenue-generating business model, too.

What does that mean for you? Well, all those free apps and social media services you enjoy, like Twitter and Instagram and Tumblr and Pandora, are going to change. Expect more ads and, possibly, usage fees or higher-priced downloads.