Social media is undoubtedly one of the most transformative inventions of the 21st century, reshaping how we connect, communicate, and share our lives. What began as a small experiment in digital community-building has grown into a global necessity that influences nearly every aspect of daily life. I’ll be covering this growth in this series.
The earliest platforms, such as SixDegrees, Friendster, and MySpace, laid the groundwork for what would later become the social media revolution. These sites introduced people to the concept of online communities—spaces where users could create profiles, connect with friends, and express themselves digitally. While their reach was limited compared to today’s standards, they showed the world what was possible when technology met human connection.
The real turning point came in 2004 with the launch of Facebook. Unlike other platforms, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, encouraged users to present their authentic selves, shifting the focus toward real identities rather than anonymous interactions. This simple but powerful shift made social networking feel more genuine, sparking massive adoption across universities and eventually the world.
In less than two decades, social media transformed from a niche hobby into an essential part of everyday life. What once seemed like an interesting experiment quickly became the backbone of global communication, culture, and even business. The seeds planted in the early 2000s would soon grow into the full-fledged social media boom we live in today.
However, social media apps were not the only reason for this explosion. More tomorrow. Stay tuned.
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