Yates - Social Media History

  • BBS

    BBS

    BBS (Bulletin Board System) was one of the first platforms that allowed users to share messages, files, and post to a virtual community onto a digital bulletin board. BBS included phone lines using modems as many did not have access to the internet at the time, so this was a way to connect with those over long distance and to make discussions online.
  • Usenet

    Usenet

    Usenet is a discussion system available on computers for those to share topics, files, and ideas through newsgroups. It laid a foundation of group discussions, internet communication as a whole, and was one of the first places to see the use of emoticons as posts were uncensored.
  • AOL

    AOL

    AOL (American Online) was the primary way for households to connect to the internet for the first time. It was popular for its messaging system as it was a step of the early stage of being able to chat with friends and family in an online format.
  • LinkedIn

    LinkedIn

    LinkedIn allows users to create a professional profile for network opportunities and job searching. It has impacted society by being a valuable tool to grow businesses, the economy, and to highlight career achievements.
  • MySpace

    MySpace

    When launched, MySpace became the world's largest social network including features such as making a profile, ability to add graphics, pictures, media, and music. It left an impact on society as it encouraged self expression, which is a significant concept today in social media formats.
  • Facebook

    Facebook

    Facebook quickly saw a rise in popularity because of its capability to self express, connect with others, and because of the ability to share news stories and write opinions. With billions of users, it transitioned the way one consumes information as it can be quick pace and reach audiences in real time; however, it serves the con of the start of fake news.
  • YouTube

    YouTube

    Once launched, YouTube became the most popular and largest video-sharing platform as it focused on video content. It provides a mix of educational and leisure content, and it also allowed those to build high paying careers in a creative field.
  • Hashtags

    Hashtags

    Hashtags are shown by the symbol "#" in order to boost content and to organize posts into a category. It allows users to easily find a topic or trend as it acts as a label for those interested in that specific topic.
  • Instagram

    Instagram

    Instagram changed the way people are able to connect with each other as users could engage with celebrities, family, and friends with direct messages, photos, and videos. It has shaped trends, how one views others and themselves, and became apart of society in wanting to showcase a public image.
  • Pinterest

    Pinterest

    Pinterest is a place to showcase hobbies such as cooking recipes, home/DIY projects, and fashion in a visual format. Pinterest is known to be a nontoxic social media app as the app curates a feed specifically towards the user maintaining a positive relationship while still keeping up with trends.
  • Black Lives Matter

    Black Lives Matter

    The Black Lives Matter protest is a movement that highlights inequality, racism, and discrimination of those of color. This movement can be seen in hashtags (#blacklivesmatter), public protests, and acts as a call to action with movements of this still happening today.
  • Stories

    Stories

    Social media stories are a temporary post format that provides a causal way to see behind the scenes and real life experiences. Especially for brands, it can lead to trustworthy engagement as it encourages authenticity.
  • Ice Bucket Challenge

    Ice Bucket Challenge

    The ice bucket challenge was a popular trend where people would record themselves dumping ice water on their head to bring awareness to ALS. This milestone impacted society by increasing awareness, it raised money for this disease, and it brought the world together as many participated.
  • TikTok

    TikTok

    TikTok has played a role in the creation of short-form videos which allows a way to receive news fast, provide a quick laugh, and it has contributed to the downfall of attention spans. TikTok is a space for those with small businesses to advertise their products, musicians to showcase their music, and for those who want quick fame due to trends, dance videos, or memes.
  • FYP

    FYP

    A FYP (for you page) is mainly a term used with the app TikTok as it describes the curated feed for each user based on what they interact with and like on the app. It creates an algorithm that aligns with ones specific interests to create a personalized feed one will enjoy.