-
Development of the Internet
social media really began with the development of the internet. The very first primitive form of the internet was through the ARPANET (Advanced Research Project Agency Network), which sought to establish a host-to-host connection between universities. -
Internet Opened To The Public
22 years after the initial conception of the internet it was finally made accessible to the public. This was a monumental change in our society that would eventually pave the way for the numerous social media platforms that nearly everyone uses. -
First Social Media Plateform Emerges
In 1997, the very first social media platform emerged. Six Degrees was the first example of social media as we know it today and allowed users to list their friends, family, and acquaintances and post updates for them to view. -
Legal Action Against Napster
Napster was an audio file-sharing website that allowed users to download music. This practice went against many copyright claims and the company was sued for their copyright infringements. This was the first major lawsuit against a social media company and a precedent for the future of legal regulation in social media. -
LinkedIn Makes Business Social
LinkedIn is a social media platform that aims to connect professionals with job opportunities or to offer those opportunities. This platform in particular expanded the scope of social media as something more credible. LinkedIn may have helped pave the way for the future of careers in the field of social media. -
The Rise of Myspace
Myspace was the first real social media site that launched social media into the major phenomenon that it is today. From 2005 to 2008 Myspace was the most visited social media platform with over 75 million monthly users. -
Facebook Takes The Throne
Just one year after the founding of Myspace. Facebook was created as a way for college students to share their college experiences with one another, but soon it grew into the most popular social media site of all time with over 2 billion users. But, the popularity may have ended up doing more harm than good for everyone involved. -
Youtube Takes The Internet By Storm
Youtube was founded in 2005 and was originally founded as a website dedicated to simple video sharing. However, since it's debut the website has grown tremendously. Even now, Youtube has grown to be recognized as a legitimate entertainment and social media platform with many people turning it into their career. -
Twitter Takes Flight
Twitter launched in 2006 and was a unique platform that introduced the idea of tweets. Over the years it has become one of the most popular sites, and has even become the president's social media site of choice to inform the American people. -
The Smartphone Is Introduced
Steve Jobs introduced the world to the idea of a mobile smartphone which is now one of the most common pieces of technology. The iPhone's ability to use applications on the go allowed social media sites to go mobile. With such easy access, the number of people who began to use social media skyrocketed. Smartphones are now the preferred method to use social media platforms. -
Instagram Joins The Party
Since smartphones basically put a camera in everyone's it was only a matter of time until social media platforms took advantage of this. And this is exactly what Instagram did. Their entire platform is centered on sharing experiences through the use of pictures. Facebook even saw the value of Instagram and acquired it as a Facebook property. -
Facebook and Cambridge Analytica Scandal
It was revealed that Facebook and been invading millions of user's privacy and selling their personal data. This was a huge breach of trust that people assumed they had with the companies and social media platforms that they share their information with. The aftermath of the scandal prompted all other social media sites to change their privacy policies to clarify exactly what is being down with user information.
