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Talkomatic Launches
Talkomatic was one of the first chatrooms, allowing real-time conversations among multiple users on the PLATO system. -
Rise of BBS and IRC Systems
Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) and Internet Relay Chat (IRC) allowed people to share messages and files before the web era. Both were considered the earliest known forms of social media. -
Classmates.com Launches
Connects users with past classmates and school communities. -
SixDegrees.com Launches
Often considered the first true social network. Users could create profiles and connect with friends. Amassed around one million users before being bought out for $125 million -
Friendster Launches
Early platform that gained popularity before the rise of Facebook. Allowed users to connect with friends, share content, and discover new connections. Eventually faded from prominence, though laid the groundwork for many modern social media platforms -
Myspace Launches
The rival to Myspace. Myspace featured customizable public profiles that were visible to anyone. Reached its peak in 2005 as the fifth most popular site in the US with 25 million users. -
Facemash Created
Described as the "Hot or Not" of Harvard University, Mark Zuckerberg created Facemash in his dorm. The early version of Facebook. -
Facebook Launches (as "TheFacebook")
Following Facemash, Zuckerburg created "The Facebook" in 2004, which later would become just "Facebook" in 2005. Quickly became a global social media leader, with 1 million users by the end of 2005. -
YouTube Launches
Users can upload, share, and watch videos, setting the stage for video-first social media. -
Twitter Launches
Twitter allowed 140-character "tweets" and soon becomes key for real-time updates and news. Originally envisioned as a text message-based tool for sending updates between friends. -
Facebook Launches the News Feed
The birth of the algorithmic news feed, creating scrollable, automatically refreshing social media as we now know it. -
YouTube Partnership Program Launches
In May 2007, YouTube introduced its partnership program, which allowed creators on the website to make money off of their videos through ads. Could be considered to mark the beginning of social media influencers. -
Tumblr & Microblogs Rise in Popularity
In 2007, David Karp launched Tumblr from his bedroom. Described as the combination of Twitter, YouTube and Wordpress, Tumblr is cited as the reason behind the rise in micro-blogging. -
The Hashtag is Created
Twitter's significance was defined by the hashtag (#). Proposed by Chris Messina, the hashtag rose to popularity during the California wildfires with the hashtag #SanDiegoFire. Hyperlink capabilities were later added. -
Instagram Launches
In July 2010, Instagram co-founder, Mike Krieger, posted an uncaptioned shot of a marina (one of the first Instagram photos to be published), launching the birth of visual storytelling on social media. -
Snapchat Launches
Snapchat was created with a desire to create a platform where users could share moments without the fear of permanence. Allowed users to post content that would vanish after 24 hours. -
Facebook Buys Instagram
After reaching 1 billion users on Facebook, Zuckerburg purchases Instagram for $1 billion. -
Slack Launches
Slack brought social media to the corporate world in a way LinkedIn didn’t. It offered workers a place to socialize online within corporations. -
Vine Launches
Vine launched in 2013, bringing 6-second looping videos to the internet. Quickly spawned a distinct genre of internet humor that still resonates today. Twitter would buy the app for $30 billion soon after. -
"That" Selfie
Twitter proclaimed 2014 as the "Year of the Selfie" following Ellen DeGeneres's viral Oscar photo. The photo has been retweeted more than 2.5 million times, setting a Twitter record. -
Facebook Acquires WhatsApp
The largest social acquisition ever ($19B), boosting global messaging dominance. -
Vine Shuts Down
Twitter officially discontinued Vine, leading to outcry from creators and fans of short-form video. -
TikTok Launches
Douyin, an app by ByteDance, was released outside of China under the name TikTok. Became widely popular in North America in 2019. Known for short-form video that is popular among the Gen-Z population. -
Cambridge Analytica & Facebook Data Privacy Trial
14 years after its inception, it was revealed that Facebook allowed a researcher from Cambridge Analytica (linked to President Donald Trump) to harvest data from 50 million users without their consent. Zuckerberg would go on to participate in five days of congressional hearings addressing data privacy. -
Facebook Rebrands to Meta
Facebook rebrands as Meta to focus on building the "metaverse," reflecting a shift toward VR, AR and immersive digital experiences. -
Twitter Rebrands as X
In a $44 billion deal, Twitter rebrands to X under Elon Musk's private ownership. Freedom of speech is emphasized in the acquisition. -
TikTok Faces Potential U.S. Ban
Concerns over data privacy and national security lead to debates and proposed legislation to ban TikTok in the U.S., marking a major turning point for the platform—and raising global questions about First Amendment rights and democratic control over digital speech. Did go dark for 12 hours before relighting their servers.