Evolution
- 1997SixDegrees, profiles and friend lists
- 2003MySpace and LinkedIn
- 2004Facebook at Harvard
- 2006Twitter with 140 characters
- 2010Instagram
- 2017TikTok and short videos
Algorithms
At first posts appeared chronologically. Today algorithms decide what you see, aiming to keep you there as long as possible. That brings addiction, misinformation and pressure on young people. The European Union therefore required more transparency from platforms in the Digital Services Act (DSA).
A security tip
Turn on two-factor authentication. A stolen account is often used to scam your friends. See Passwords, two-factor authentication and passkeys.