Social Media: forms of electronic communication (such as Web sites for social networking and microblogging) through which users create online communities to share information, ideas, personal messages, and other content. First known use: 2004.
Most of the earliest and most prominent social networking software has been developed by Americans. Some examples include:
Myspace – founded by Americans Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe in 2003. It allows users to gain a network of friends, post profiles, blog, form groups, and exchange music and videos.
Facebook – founded by Americans Mark Zuckerberg, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes and Brazilian Eduardo Saverin in 2004. It allows users to “friend” other people, exchange messages, organize events, post information, and join groups.
Reddit – founded by Americans Steve Huffman and Alexis Ohanian in 2005. It allows users to submit content with a bulletin board format, in which users vote to determine the organization of the posts.
Twitter – founded by Americans Evan Williams, Jack Dorsey, Noah Glass, and “Biz” Stone in 2006.
Tumblr – founded by American David Karp in 2007. It allows users to post content to a short-form blog, which can be followed by other users.
WhatsApp – founded by American Brian Acton and Ukrainian-American Jan Koum. It allows users to send text messages, images, video, audio, and location information on smartphones.
Snapchat – founded by Americans Evan Spiegel, Bobby Murphy, and Reggie Brown in 2011. It allows users to send videos, photos, text, and drawings to a controlled list of recipients.
