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ARPANET makes first successful connection.
ARPANET, an early precursor to the internet, was used by academics and researchers to host, access, create, and store critical scientific information and data. This is the first instance of "user-generated content" being shared and distributed on a wide-range network. While users on the ARPANET did not interact directly via posts, they communicated via email and file sharing, all of which can be seen as a predecessor to the social media we enjoy today. -
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e-Neolithic Era
This span of time contains the time at the very beginning of the internet, as people began to learn what the "net" even was, how to use it, and how it could be used. I coin this "neolithic" because it was a highly transitional period, showcasing rapid change in both technology and public opinion / usage of the internet. Much like when humanity created the first stone tools, we had to learn, apply, and adapt to novel technology; the likes of which had never been seen before. -
ARPANET adopts TCP/IP.
Transmission Control Protocol and Internet Protocol allowed those using the ARPANET to connect to networks outside of divided "sectors," opening up new possibilities for long-distance communication. Students from Stanford University and UCLA could now contribute and collaborate together bolstering this new set of "inter" networks. -
Windows 95 Releases
Windows 95 was one of the first widespread consumer-oriented operating systems. The idea of a "terminal" and command line was a large barrier to entry for the general public. Windows 95 crushed this barrier with an intuitive graphical interface that helped introduce the internet, and computers in general, to the masses. Internet historians could easily pinpoint dozens of features the operating system introduced that are still seen in today's machines; a "home" key, a desktop, etc. -
AOL Instant Messenger
AOL Instant Messenger, AIM, was released as a free real-time chat program allowing users to communicate with friends and other acquaintances. While it was more like an evolution of email and text message, it created a much more nuanced, interactive way to socialize online. It can be likened to message boards of the time, which allowed users to house their own "identity" via a username, chatrooms, and other customization options. -
Six Degrees launches
Six degrees was one of the first instances of social media, innovating with many features we use today: registration, profiles, contacts, messages, and posts. -
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Early Social Media
Early social media can be categorized by both its lack of uniformity and novel conceptions of what "social media" was. What did people want it for? How could it be used? Why? As these questions were proposed and subsequently solved, the big players of social media began to crop up and thrive. Key ideas of this era were the introduction of friends, likes, comments, and shares. -
Friendster launches
While previous social applications of the internet focused on interacting with those you already knew, Friendster focused on meeting new people. On "friending" others and connecting with those you may have never met otherwise. -
MySpace launches
MySpace was the defacto social media of its time, and introduced a large majority of features that carry to every social media that came after it. Namely, profiles, a friends list, interactive posting, and private messaging. It shut down later the same decade following Facebook's prolific rise, but is still remembered fondly by many because of how widespread it was. -
LinkedIn launches
LinkedIn is the first application of social media in a professional environment, helping employers and employees link up with one another. It of course houses profiles, biographies, messages and other interpersonal social features. -
TheFacebook launches
Facebook, originally "TheFacebook", combined what was good about nearly every contemporary social media platform; both connecting with those you know and making new friends was never easier. It was for this reason that it gained a large deal of momentum, eventually overtaking every similar social media of its era. -
Twitter launches
Twitter is largely responsible for social media's brevity, what with the post limit of 140 characters, arguably limited customization options, and endless scrolling feed. Twitter, now X, still shapes social media continuously, and is the hotbed for "breaking news" and other viral, quickly traveling information. -
Facebook overshadows MySpace
Following MySpace becoming the most visited site in the world, Facebook quickly moved past it in ranking and continues to be among the most popular websites ever, only potentially dethroned by the likes of Google. -
Instagram releases
Instagram, before being acquired by Facebook later that same decade, was the first stepping stone into modern social media. Lacking "posts" in the traditional manner, users uploaded photos to their profiles. This meant that status updates were accompanied by pictures of the event, leading to a much more personal and connected experience. -
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Modern Social Media
The idea of modern social media was formed and solidified through likes, shares, follows, and retweets. However, companies during this era capitalized on social media to a large extent. "Stories", which were temporary posts that expired after a set duration, and other modern social media features were set in stone during this time. This is when social media became universal; it wasn't "do you have Facebook?" but "what is your Snapchat?" -
Snapchat launches
Another one to blame for social media's hallmark brevity is Snapchat, which is known for its disappearing posts. Send a photo, view the photo, and it's gone forever. This is likened to that of actual conversation, ephemeral moments in time all connected through the relationship of those experiencing them together. Snapchat also introduced "streaks", stories, and other engagement features to keep users "in the loop." -
Instagram is bought by Facebook
In a $1b deal, Instagram was purchased from the 13-person start-up that boasted over 30 million users. This began the process of conglomeration in the social media space, as well as the internet in general. -
Vine
Vine was a video hosting social media platform that was famous for its 6 second videos. This lead to a large amount of creativity among users in the app; its impact on society is still felt through the likes of TikTok and other short-form media platforms. -
TikTok launches
TikTok launches this year, replacing "Musical.ly" as the defacto vertical video social media. Musical.ly was a video sharing service for dances and lipsyncing, while TikTok was for everything. It would shape social media in large ways going forward. -
Vine shuts down
The shutdown of Vine further cemented the "big names" in the social media space. However, there was no direct replacement at the time; this was a space that TikTok eventually colonized to a monumental degree. -
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Post-Modern Social Media
Our current social media landscape, featuring vertical content, streaks, stories, and more. It was also shaped by politicians and public features using it in professional applications, as well as the Covid-19 pandemic, and "iPad kids." -
TikTok reports 653 million active users
The vertical video giant continues to grow, and with an upcoming pandemic and general cultural shift, its trajectory aims ever higher. -
Google+ shuts down
Google+, long forgotten by this point, was shut down due to a lack of userbase and growth. This demonstrated how money alone was not enough to make a widespread social media platform. Its demise left Google out of the social media race. -
Facebook becomes Meta
Meta is now the company that "houses" Facebook as they proceed to new ventures, such as the "metaverse", VR applications, and more. It has yet to bear any meaningful results for the tech giant, but there may come a time that the word "Meta" is more widely used than Facebook. -
X launches
Elon Musk purchases Twitter and aptly renames it to "X" following a historical set of events the likes of which social media has never seen before. While largely inconsequential, the "X" rebrand demonstrates the shift to sleek, corporate and wide-scale outreach social media of the 2020s will be known for. -
TikTok is banned for several hours in U.S.
Government intervention in the social media space is a new and hotly debated topic. China controls a large majority of the titular app, leading the United States government to deem it a security risk. It was already banned on federal devices in previous years, but the threat of outright banning it nation-wide is no longer out of the question.