Six Degrees, launched in 1997, is widely recognized as the oldest social media platform.
The Dawn of Social Networking: Six Degrees
Conceived by Andrew Weinreich, Six Degrees pioneered many features that define modern social media. Launched in 1997, it distinguished itself as the first website to allow users to create personal profiles and connect with friends, laying the groundwork for the interactive online communities we know today.
Key Innovations of Six Degrees
The platform's groundbreaking functionalities included:
- User Profiles: Individuals could create their own unique profiles, providing a personal space on the internet.
- Friend Lists: Users had the ability to build a network by adding friends, fostering direct connections.
- Connection Exploration: A key feature allowed users to see who their friends were connected to, enabling exploration of wider social circles.
Six Degrees essentially translated the concept of "six degrees of separation" into a digital format, demonstrating the potential of the internet to map and expand real-world social networks. Although it predated the massive user bases of later platforms, its innovations set a crucial precedent for the development of the entire social media landscape.
