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Early online discussion boards where users posted in “newsgroups,” laying the foundation for community-based digital interaction. -
AOL introduced millions to the internet through dial-up, chat rooms, and instant messaging, shaping early online communication. -
One of the first modern social networks, introducing profile pages and “friends lists,” paving the way for later platforms. -
Popular with teens and musicians, MySpace allowed personal profile customization and influenced online self-presentation -
Facebook’s real-name profiles and News Feed changed networking and became the world’s largest social media platform.
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YouTube let anyone upload and share videos, transforming media by shifting power from TV networks to individuals. -
The News Feed centralized updates, changing social media from static profiles to dynamic streams. -
Twitter introduced 140-character posts, enabling real-time updates and breaking news culture. -
Hashtags (#) made it easy to group topics and follow trends across conversations. -
Obama’s presidential campaign was the first to use social media at scale for fundraising, organizing, and connecting with voters, proving its political power. -
Instagram popularized visual-first communication with photo filters and a focus on images. -
Snapchat created disappearing messages and Stories, changing how people shared temporary moments. -
TikTok’s short-form, algorithm-driven videos fueled global trends and viral entertainment. -
Revelations that Facebook data was misused to influence elections raised global concerns about privacy, ethics, and manipulation on social media. -
TikTok’s FYP personalized discovery with algorithm-driven recommendations.