Social Media Museum

The history of social media

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The Social Media Museum

The social media world is big and constantly changing. Reason enough for us to bring a little order into it: In our Social Media Museum, the history of social media is presented on a timeline based on the Facebook timeline of yesteryear. We are the authors of the book "Berufsziel Social Media", published by Springer-Gabler-Verlag: Nico Lumma, Stefan Rippler and Branko Woischwill.

Our Social Timeline goes back to the 1960s, because social media existed even before Facebook and Co. There is no claim to completeness. The Social Timeline of our Social Media Museum lives from its visitors - anyone can make additions or changes or corrections by comment or e-mail - or contribute screenshots. We look forward to your support!

Although the roots of digital communication run deep, most contemporary accounts of the modern origins of today's internet and social media point to the creation of the Advanced Research Projects Agency Network - the ARPANET - in 1969. This early digital network, created by the United States Department of Defense, allowed scientists at four interconnected universities to share software, hardware and other data. The first entry in the timeline of the Social Media Museum. 
 

What followed in the 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s? From Usenet, the first e-mail, the WWW, IRC and the first blog to Facebook, Instagram and the like: the detailed history can be read in the Social Media Museum - a free non-profit website of Rippler Media GmbH. The museum was created during work on the third edition of the book "Berufsziel Social Media", which will be published next year by Springer Gabler Verlag. 

Note: We have not linked networks that have already been discontinued or simply no longer exist today. Wherever we could find a screenshot, we have shown it. If one is missing and you have one for us, we'd love to hear from you! We are looking forward to it. Just comment directly below the entry. 

Our guidelines

You can read all about our self-image, our working methods and the museum's educational approach in our Social Media Museum Guidelines.

SocialMediaMuseum mission statement