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Adoption of TCP/IP
Most people agree that the adoption of the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) and Internet Protocol (IP) was on January 1, 1983. The TCP is responsible for delivering data from one device to another, it breaks down messages into small units called segments and then passes it on to IP for routing. IP is responsible for routing these segments across networks. This provided the infrastructure for all future digital communication. -
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The Rise of Online Communities
Due to the ability of TCP/IP, online communities begin to emerge. First, it was the launch of the World Wide Web (www), this allowed browsing and sharing information on the internet very accessible. Then Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) became widely popular. Users began to post messages, share files, and interact in forums. Then came the emergence of email systems like AOL and Yahoo. This allowed users connect to each other individually. All of this then inspired networks like Six Degrees and ICQ. -
ICQ and instantaneous messaging
ICQ was one of the first popular instant messaging platforms. It allowed users to send real time messages to each other, equipped with notifications and online status indicators. -
The Launch of Six Degrees
Six Degrees has often been considered the first true social networking site. It was launched in 1997 and it allowed users to create profiles, interact with other users in a network, and list connections. It introduced features that inspired modern social media. The network was shutdown in 2001 but it inspired the launch of Friendster and MySpace. -
Blogs
Platforms like LiveJournal and GeoCities were launched in the late 1990s. These platforms allowed users to create personal web pages and blogs to share anything they pleased. They began the era of self-expression and storytelling online. -
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The Rise of Platforms
During this era, notable platforms such as MySpace, Facebook, and YouTube were launched. These platforms allowed new ways to build personal and professional connections. These were the beginning of modern social media platforms. -
Launch of MySpace and LinkedIn
MySpace quickly gained traction and became the most popular social networking site of the mid-2000s. It allowed users to create highly customizable profiles, with the ability to add personal music playlists. It focused on music and entertainment, and many exciting features for its time. LinkedIn was also launched in 2003 and acted as a professional networking site, it targeted career-driven individuals, and it is still popular to this day. -
Facebook
Facebook was created by Mark Zuckerberg at Harvard University solely as a social networking site for college students. Later it became into what it is now, a very big social media platform that allows users to share videos and posts with one another. -
YouTube
YouTube launched as a platform for users to upload and share videos. Its mission was to make video sharing accessible to everyone. It introduced a simple interface, comment sections, and video recommendations. YouTube became the go-to platform for video content and empowered creators to build careers. By 2006, YouTube was acquired by Google for 1.65 billion dollars. -
Twitter
Twitter focused on microblogging with only a 140-character limit for posts. It introduced the concept of hashtags and focused on real-time sharing of updates, thoughts, and news. It plays a major role in political movements and revolutionized how information spreads. In 2022, it was bought by Elon Musk, and renamed “X”. -
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Mobile Social Media and Widespread Connectivity
In 2007, the release of the iPhone made social media mobile-friendly, you were able to take social media everywhere you went. -
Instagram
Instagram launched in 2010 as a mobile app focused on photo-sharing and visual storytelling. It quickly gained popularity due to its simplicity and built-in photo filters. -
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The rise of Modern Social Media
In this era, the era we know today, platforms such as Instagram, Snapchat, Vine, and TikTok were founded. -
Snapchat
Snapchat was introduced in 2011 as an app for messaging, where photos, videos, and chats disappeared after viewing. It introduced the “story” feature in 2013 allowing users to post content for 24 hours. Added features throughout the growth of the app like filters, lenses, and geotags, made interactions more playful and engaging. It popularized ephemeral content, which became a dominant trend in social media. -
TikTok
TikTok debuted in 2016. TikTok is one of the most significant social media platforms of the modern era, reshaping content creation, consumption, and social interactions globally. TikTok is a short-form video platform that is carried by its AI-driven For You Page, viral challenges, and easy to use editing tools. It quickly took over the social media world by storm and surpassed 1 billion monthly users by 2021. It has transformed many users lives and continues to be ahead of every other platform. -
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Social Media and Society
This era marked the globalization of social media, characterized by platform expansion, advanced monetization models, and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance user experiences. Social media platforms became cultural, political, and economic powerhouses, influencing nearly every aspect of modern life.