Social media, before Facebook and Twitter [Infographic]

Though it might seem like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace invented social networking, they in fact did not.

That old antique device of the internet, known as email, is arguably considered by many to be a form of “social networking”. Online communication occurred long before we were able to ‘write’ on each other’s virtual walls.

Did you know that the very first email was sent in 1971? Did you know that the concept of “trolling” was established in Usenet bulletin boards not Twitter? Social media has a long (40 years or so) and revealing history.

The origins of social media and inevitably social networking are not clearly defined. Where do you think it all began? How do you define social networking?

Below is a rather interesting infographic that details the beginnings of social media from the first email, AIM (AOL Instant Messaging), Geocities and the eventual domination of Facebook in the social media sphere.

Via: OnlineSchools.org