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ARPANET goes live, marking the beginning of digital networking
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Bulletin Board Systems (BBS) allow message exchange and file sharing.
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Usenet and IRC enable global communication among niche groups.
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Six Degrees is the first true social networking site, allowing profile creation.
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Friendster launches as one of the first major platforms to connect users through "friends of friends"
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LinkedIn launches as a professional networking platform
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MySpace launches, featuring customizable profiles and music sharing
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Facebook launches for college students, revolutionizing networking.
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Reddit launches as a community-driven content aggregation and discussion platform.
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YouTube launches, revolutionizing video sharing and user-generated content.
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Twitter focuses on brevity with 140-character posts
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The iPhone launches, making mobile social media mainstream.
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WhatsApp launches, revolutionizing instant messaging with its cross-platform service.
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Instagram launches, emphasizing visual storytelling.
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Widespread 4G adoption transforms streaming and live broadcasting.
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Pinterest launches, emphasizing visual content, curation, and inspiration.
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Snapchat pioneers disappearing content and filters
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Fake news and social media's influence on elections spark debates.
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TikTok became a popular platform for sharing short-form video content, especially among younger users. Today, it has over 1 billion monthly active users.
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U.S. lawmakers investigate TikTok’s ties to China over data privacy concerns, leading to ongoing regulatory scrutiny.
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Social platforms become vital during the COVID-19 pandemic for maintaining social connections.
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5G begins rolling out, enabling augmented and virtual reality integration.
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TikTok dominates with short-form video content.
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Elon Musk acquires Twitter for $44 billion, sparking debates about free speech and moderation.
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After Elon Musk’s acquisition, changes to Twitter's content moderation policies and verification system spark global debates about platform integrity.
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AI tools like ChatGPT and MidJourney reshape content creation.