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First Telegraphic Message Sent
Samuel Morse, the inventor of Morse code, sent the first telegraph message, consisting of a series of dots from Baltimore to Washington D.C. This message read, "What hath God wrought?" source: The evolution of social media: How did it begin and where could it go next? Maryville Online. (2021, March 3). Retrieved April 13, 2022, from https://online.maryville.edu/blog/evolution-social-media/ -
First Electronic Message Sent
The Advanced Research Projects Agency Network (ARPANET), designed as a computer network, sent its first host-to-host message electronically. This message read, "Lo," in an attempt to send the message "Login" but only the first two letters sent before the system crashed. source: The evolution of social media: How did it begin and where could it go next? Maryville Online. (2021, March 3). Retrieved April 13, 2022, from https://online.maryville.edu/blog/evolution-social-media/ -
Launch of NSFNET
The National Science Foundation launched a nationwide digital network, known as NSFNET. NSFNET connected supercomputers around the country at 56,000 bits a second, paving the way for the internet. source: A brief history of NSF and the internet. NSF. (n.d.). Retrieved April 22, 2022, from https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=103050#:~:text=NSFNET%20went%20online%20in%201986,to%201.5%20megabits%20per%20second. -
First Social Media Platform Launched
Andrew Weinreich launched the first social media platform, named "Six Degrees," which allowed users to share profiles with one another. source: The evolution of social media: How did it begin and where could it go next? Maryville Online. (2021, March 3). Retrieved April 13, 2022, from https://online.maryville.edu/blog/evolution-social-media/ -
Y2K Scare
Prior the year 2000, the Year 2000 scare (Y2K) caused mass panic when the potential that a computer bug wouldn't interpret the century change correctly, and lead to failing systems all over the world. source: National Geographic Society. (2012, October 9). Y2K Bug. National Geographic Society. Retrieved April 24, 2022, from https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/Y2K-bug/ -
The Debut of MySpace
MySpace was the first social network to reach a global audience, that allowed individuals to showcase their interests and life through the posting and sharing of posts, photos, etc. on interconnected profiles. -
Facebook Dominance
Over the span of the 2000's decade, social platforms came and went, such as MySpace, and ushered in the emergence of Facebook. Facebook, much like MySpace, is a profile sharing, and open posting platform that has stuck around and has grown over the years to continue its prominence into today's age. Though Facebook launched in 2004, it didn't become prominent until 2008. source: -
YouTube Draws Success
Breaking out onto the social networking scheme, was the launch of YouTube, a platform where users upload videos for the public to view. -
Today's Media
Following the success of Facebook, various social platforms rose to the scene in early 2010's and remain relevant today, as people grew to become digitally dependent in communicating with others, and their thoughts. Of these platforms include that of Instagram, a photo sharing network, Snapchat, a communication based app through sending photographs as chats, and TikTok, a video platform fueled by dance trends and music.