When Was Social Media Created? A Timeline of Origins

Social media was created in stages, but the first recognizable social media platform, Six Degrees, launched in 1997. Its conceptual roots go back to 1844 with the telegraph, and the modern social media era began in the early 2000s with sites like Friendster, MySpace, and LinkedIn.

Understanding when social media was created requires looking at both the technological foundations and the specific platforms that defined the category. This article traces that evolution from early electronic communication to today's global networks.

Early Foundations: From Telegraph to ARPANET

The impulse to connect across distances predates the internet. On May 24, 1844, Samuel Morse sent the first telegraph message, demonstrating that electronic signals could carry information between distant points. This event is often cited as a conceptual starting point for social media because it established the principle of instant, long-distance communication that later platforms would build upon.

In 1969, the U.S. Department of Defense created ARPANET, a network connecting four universities to share software, hardware, and data. This early network laid the groundwork for the internet and, eventually, for social media. By the late 1970s, ARPANET had enabled non-government communication, and in 1980, Usenet became the first open social media application, allowing users to post messages in newsgroups. You can also explore Social Media Marketing Agencies in Greenville SC for a closer comparison.

During the 1980s and 1990s, services like CompuServe, Prodigy, and America Online introduced millions to email, bulletin board messaging, and real-time chat. These platforms were not social media in the modern sense, but they familiarized users with digital communication and community-building.

The First Social Media Platform: Six Degrees (1997)

The first true social media platform, Six Degrees, launched in 1997. Named after the "six degrees of separation" concept, it allowed users to create profiles, list friends, and navigate friend networks. This combination of features—profiles, friend lists, and network visibility—is considered the defining characteristic of social media.

Six Degrees was short-lived, shutting down in 2001, but it proved the concept. It was followed in 2001 by Friendster, which attracted millions of users and popularized the idea of online social networking. However, Friendster struggled with technical difficulties and the rise of competitors.

The Rise of Modern Platforms (2002–2006)

The early 2000s saw rapid growth in social media. In 2002, LinkedIn launched as a professional networking site, focusing on career connections rather than personal friendships. It remains a major platform for job seekers and recruiters.

In 2003, MySpace launched and quickly became the most visited website on the planet by 2006, thanks to features like customizable profiles and music sharing. However, MySpace's dominance was short-lived. Facebook, launched in 2004 by Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg, overtook MySpace by 2008 and became the world's largest social network.

Other notable platforms from this era include Reddit (2005), a news-sharing and discussion site, and Twitter (2006), a microblogging service that limited posts to 140 characters. These platforms expanded the definition of social media beyond personal networking to include content sharing and real-time conversation.

Key Milestones in Social Media History

The following table summarizes major milestones in the creation and evolution of social media:

Year	Milestone
1844	First telegraph message sent, establishing electronic communication
1969	ARPANET created, laying groundwork for the internet
1980	Usenet launched as first open social media application
1997	Six Degrees, first true social media platform, launched
2001	Friendster launched, popularizing social networking
2002	LinkedIn founded for professional networking
2003	MySpace launched, later becoming most visited website
2004	Facebook launched; MySpace reaches 1 million monthly active users
2005	Reddit launched
2006	Twitter launched; MySpace surpasses Google as most visited US site

These milestones show that social media did not emerge at a single moment but evolved over decades, with each platform building on previous innovations.

Social Media Today: A Global Phenomenon

By 2019, Facebook had 2.4 billion users, and platforms like YouTube and WhatsApp each had over one billion. Social media usage has become nearly universal among young people in wealthy countries, with over 90% of those aged 16–24 using social networks in many OECD nations.

The rapid adoption of social media has transformed communication, business, and culture. However, it has also raised concerns about mental health, misinformation, and privacy. As social media continues to evolve, understanding its origins helps contextualize its impact.

For a detailed timeline of social media history, see Maryville University's evolution of social media and Wikipedia's social media article. For data on user growth, refer to Our World in Data's rise of social media.