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BBSS
BBSS which stands for Bulletin Board Systems. Unlike the usernet system the BBSS was the exact opposite where a lot of illegal activity might've taken place. -
Usernets
Before social media came the usernet system. This system was created in 1979 by Tom Truscott and Jim Ellis. This was used as a way to spread news to newsgroups. -
Post BBSs
Online services were starting to break through and corporations tried to access the internet. Services such as CompuServe which was the first chat program to exist. Around the same time, Prodigy also was created to help make the online service affordable. -
Instant Messaging
IRC or internet relay chat was a like that was shared so that others could keep in contact with one another. This still exists today but not an exact link. People still IM each other over more current platforms of social media. In the mid 90s is when the abbreviations such as LOL came to light. Yes, they're really not that new. -
Online Dating
Some of the earliest social media platforms were dating sites. These sites allowed people to create profiles that contained photos and a way to contact them. Most people today are familiar with Tinder and Bumble well, they most definitely weren't the first of their kind. -
Forums
In 1997 the first social media site was created, it was called Six Degrees and gave users the ability to make a profile and become friends with others. Sound familiar? It should because a lot of social media platforms we use today start by having us make a profile then give us the ability to add friends. -
Online Gaming
Online gaming has been around for years starting in the early 2000s. One of the most famous is World of Warcraft which gave players the ability to interact with the game and other players who were in the same community. -
Friendster
In 2002 Friendster was created giving its users the ability to see their friends and even their friend's friends. It's a little like when you can see on someones profile who they follow and who they're friends with. But, it was more of a dating site that matched you with people who were like your friends. -
LinkedIn
By now a good majority of the people in the workforce have a LinkedIn page. It originally was created to be able to post one's resume on their profile and connect with coworkers and others that you know. -
MySpace
MySpace was created as well in 2003 and in 2006 was the most popular social media platform worldwide. It allowed users to customize their profile and share music and videos for others to see. It also had the instant messaging as well as allowing users to publicly comment on the owners page. -
Facebook
When Facebook was first created it was only for Harvard student but expanded to other school, then high schools and business, then the public by 2006. In 2008 it passed Myspace and became the most popular site. It allows users to share photos, videos, and make posts on their profile. It also gives users the option of the post being public or only so their friends can see -
Media Sharing
Media sharing is exactly like it sounds, it's sharing media. It's not just for social media sites but sending photos and videos to others. However, we see a lot of media sharing on all media platforms on one way shape or form.
