--- title: "Social Media Roundup: How Social Platforms Came To Be" id: "19432" type: "post" slug: "social-media-roundup-how-social-platforms-came-to-be" published_at: "2013-09-13T23:00:12+00:00" modified_at: "2026-11-09T19:02:55+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/09/13/social-media-roundup-how-social-platforms-came-to-be/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2013/09/13/social-media-roundup-how-social-platforms-came-to-be.md" excerpt: "The evolution of collaboration online—from its baby steps with the 1969 “terminal” to today’s social platform boom. Plus: How location factors into our virtual world, according to a new study." taxonomy_category: - "Marketing / Communications" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "digital collaboration" - "Social Media" - "Technology" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "C-Level" - "Executive Team" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Social Media Roundup: How Social Platforms Came To Be Social platforms have come a long way since AIM was, like, the biggest thing ever. The web’s gold rush of development has unleashed an infinite scope of possibilities. A HighQ infographic shows how web collaboration came to be—and where the potential lies for your association. More details in today’s Social Media Roundup: ### Ripens with age > [Cool Infographic Friday] The History of Social Collaboration [http://t.co/nxm46VIJGd (opens in a new tab)](http://t.co/nxm46VIJGd) > > — Maddie Grant (@maddiegrant) [September 13, 2013 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/maddiegrant/status/378500265064009728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **The timeline, before Facebook made it cool:** It’s hard to believe that the web, as we know it today, is just in its 20s. It’s nonetheless a fast grower, as an infographic by HighQ, [“The History of Social Collaboration” (opens in a new tab)](http://www.socialfish.org/2013/09/cool-inforgraphic-friday-the-history-of-social-collaboration.html) , shows. The web went live in 1991, when George H. W. Bush was president, pagers were trending, and Vanilla Ice was rocking the charts. But the internet’s boom goes back even further—to the 1969 introduction of the terminal, the first device of its kind to communicate across data networks. From discussion platforms (1979) to email (1995) to peer-to-peer sharing (remember Napster?) to Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter, these technologies have unleashed extraordinary capabilities for web collaboration. HighQ pegs the potential annual value of savvy social platform use at $1.3 trillion. Are you in the loop? A vast realm of digital opportunities awaits your association. *(ht [@maddiegrant (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/maddiegrant/statuses/378500265064009728) )* ### Checking in https://twitter.com/eduiconf/statuses/378528618135437312 **Coordinates, please:** Location has gone off the grid from the paper map that once was. With a GPS in everyone’s pocket, locations are influencing marketing and recruitment strategies geared to a new generation of interactive customers. Roughly three out of four adults get directions via smartphone, according to a [Pew Research Center Internet Project report (opens in a new tab)](http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Location.aspx) . Social media users who link physical location to social networks have doubled—up from 14 percent in 2011 to 30 percent in 2013. Perhaps the most surprising statistic: Only 12 percent of smartphone users “check in” online—a drop from 18 percent last year. *(ht [@eduiconf (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/eduiconf/statuses/378528618135437312) )* What links are you sharing these days? Let us know in the comments. (Photodisc/Thinkstock) [Emma Beck](https://associationsnow.com/author/emma-beck/) Emma Beck is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/emma-beck/) Tags: [#digital collaboration](https://associationsnow.com/tag/digital-collaboration/) [#Social Media](https://associationsnow.com/tag/social-media/) [#Technology](https://associationsnow.com/tag/technology/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: More Than Marketing: The Power of Strategic CommunicationsJuly 30, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/07/30/associations-now-presents-more-than-marketing-the-power-of-strategic-communications/) - [PodcastAssociations NOW Presents: Why Slower Marketing Can Drive Stronger Member Engagement (Episode 27)June 25, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/06/25/associations-now-presents-why-slower-marketing-can-drive-stronger-member-engagement-episode-27/) - [TemplateMembers onlyMember Onboarding ToolkitNovember 5, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/11/05/member-onboarding-toolkit/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2013%2F09%2F13%2Fsocial-media-roundup-how-social-platforms-came-to-be%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !