Social media platforms have become a central part of modern life. While the Internet has been around for decades, social media platforms were not widely used until the last 20 years. These platforms allow people to share content, interact with each other, and engage in real-time discussions. They also help people associate in ways that were not yet possible with traditional media.
The development of social media platforms is an important part of its growth because they help users make communities based on their interests and hobbies. These communities are usually formed around common interests like sports or music, but they can also be started around more notional topics like politics or current events.
In this article, you will learn about 10 of the oldest social media platforms and how they began in history.
Top 10 Oldest Social Media Platforms Ever
- Ryze
- My Space
- hi5
- Bebo
- Youtube
1. Instagram
In October 2010, Mike Krieger and Kevin Systrom started Instagram. It originally launched as an iOS-only photo-sharing social media platform, but it’s simple design and included photo filters made it famous very fast. In April 2012, Instagram was purchased by Facebook (now Meta) for around $1 billion. Instagram is now one of the most popular social media networks globally, including videos, stories, direct chat, and shopping to its list of services over time.
2. LinkedIn
LinkedIn, founded in May 2003 by Reid Hoffman and Eric Ly, focuses on professional connections. Users can create résumé-like profiles, showcasing their skills, education, and work experience. When one user accepts another’s connection request, their networks link. LinkedIn helps users advance their careers by finding jobs, connecting with professionals, and receiving recommendations. While basic membership is free, a premium subscription offers access to more profiles and search features. The platform’s “Career Advice” function connects mentors and mentees to support each other’s professional growth. LinkedIn is still active today under Microsoft Corporation.
3. My Space
Myspace, launched in August 2003 by Chris DeWolfe, Tom Anderson, and Jon Hart, allows users to create profile pages with photos, hobbies, and links to other users’ profiles. It helps people stay connected, meet new friends, and find potential love interests. Users must be at least 13, with stricter privacy settings for those under 16 to protect them from older users. Myspace became popular with musicians promoting their work, giving the platform a trendy vibe, especially among teens. Known for edgier content, Myspace also introduced features like its own record label and partnerships with sites like YouTube.
4. Facebook
Facebook was founded in February 2004 by Harvard students Mark Zuckerberg, Eduardo Saverin, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes. As of 2021, it had about three billion members, with half using it daily, making it the world’s most popular social network. Owned by Meta, the platform features sections like Timeline for posting content, Status for notifying friends of current activities, and News Feed, which updates users on changes to their friends’ profiles and status.
5. hi5
Hi5 was launched in June 2003 by Ramu Yalamanchi and became profitable within its first year. It gained popularity in Latin American countries, Mongolia, Tunisia, and Romania, and in 2007, it was second only to MySpace in traffic. Hi5 is popular for flirting, dating, and meeting new people, similar to the Tagged website, both owned by The Meet Group.
In April 2009, with Bill Gossman as CEO, hi5 shifted its focus to becoming a social-network gaming platform, welcoming new game developers.
6. Pinterest
Pinterest, launched in March 2010 by Ben Silbermann, Paul Sciarra, and Evan Sharp, allows users to create free social networking profiles, and upload pictures, videos, and information. Pinterest is a visual search engine where you can get inspiration for your home and style, inspiration, and more.
You can always find inspiration on Pinterest thanks to its billions of Pins. Save the Pins you find inspiring for making boards so you can readily organize and find the ideas you have. To share your thoughts with others on Pinterest, you may also make Pins.
To sign up, you must be at least the required age, and teenagers are given special protections. Check Pinterest to find out more about teen safety.
7. Youtube
YouTube, launched in February 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim, is an American online video-sharing platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. Acquired by Google in November 2006 for $1.65 billion, it has since been a Google subsidiary.
Users can publish, view, share, add to playlists, report, comment on, and subscribe to content. YouTube’s massive traffic growth led to increased demands for more computers and broadband connections, and the platform also had to allocate funds for potential legal issues related to copyrighted content.
You can only store videos for offline viewing using YouTube’s in-app download tool; downloading videos to your devices requires other tools or software.
8. Google+:
Google+, launched on June 28, 2011, was Google’s most comprehensive attempt at social media. It featured Facebook-like elements such as news feeds, photo albums, and groups, and introduced video chat rooms called Hangouts, surpassing Facebook’s initial video chat capabilities.
Google+ underwent several changes, including reintroducing Events and Custom URLs and focusing on Communities and Collections while removing some features like Hangouts integration.
Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, had more followers on Google+ than Larry Page, the founder of Google.
9. WhatsApp:
WhatsApp, introduced in January 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan Koum, is a free, cross-platform instant messaging and voice-over-IP service owned by Meta Platforms. Users can send photos, documents, locations, audio and video chats, text, and voice messages. To use WhatsApp, you need a mobile phone number. In January 2018, WhatsApp launched WhatsApp Business to connect with the main app.
Co-founder Jan Koum, who immigrated to the US from Ukraine at age 16, once relied on food stamps to support his family.
10. Reddit:
Reddit, launched in June 2005 by Steve Huffman, Alexis Ohanian, and Aaron Swartz, is a U.S.-based site for conversation and content rating. Users can upvote or downvote posts, which can then appear on the site’s main page or in their respective subreddits. Moderation is handled by community-specific moderators as well as Reddit staff.
In December 2021, Reddit reportedly filed for a $15 billion IPO, raising its valuation.
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Conclusion
Social media platforms have become most important in today’s life. While the Internet has been around for decades, social media platforms were not widely used until the last 20 years. These platforms allow people to share content, interact with each other, and engage in real-time discussions. They also help people associate in ways that were not yet possible with traditional media.