The fracturing of social circles across many chat clients prevents you forming your own circle of interest. Some say bubble, but I mean it positively. Only institutions (clubs, pol parties, corporations, maybe festivals etc., uni and schools...) will be able to draw a significant group.
Example: I know some guys interested in computer history. They are now distributed across six different places. Back in 2002 I would have dropped a link on IRC, maybe in two channels and I knew it reached them.