Are we in the stone age of social networks?

Our existing social networks feel like they are stone age tools: as if we’ve just invented the square wheel. What would the next generation of social networks look like that would enable us to do more useful things in the world? Many of the institutional structures in our society (universities, conferences, expert groups) are at their core, social networks, but they’re too exclusive, expensive, and don’t leverage technology. How can social networks be used to transform these existing institutions into creating more social mobility for all?