EOTO Comm Tech Timeline

 "Hey Guys!

So I wanted to focus on two apps that most of us use daily, well we at least use Instagram daily and I will dive more into that throughout my slide. 

 

In 2004, Mark Zuckerberg was only a sophomore in college at Harvard when he created TheFacebook with his friends Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Moskovitz, and Chris Hughes, which is crazy when I put it into perspective because I am a sophomore, and I could not even fathom developing a well-known app. Originally it was supposed to just be a form of communication for Harvard students, much like how we use YikYak or Fizz. Eventually, the title TheFacebook and it became what we now know as Facebook.

 

Mark Zuckerberg

But here’s the thing it quickly became super popular, and within a year or so, it expanded to other universities and went public. Now, it is one of the biggest social media platforms worldwide, which is crazy considering it started as a college project.

 

So, how did it change our world? Facebook allowed people to communicate globally instantly with messages and pictures in a way they never could before. It also opened up a new business communication door as companies promote via Facebook through algorithms. 

 

But as cool as all this sounds and it was for the time, there are definitely some downsides. Privacy became a huge issue, especially after the Cambridge Analytica scandal, where it turned out user data was being used for political campaigns. And studies have shown that spending too much time on Facebook can lead to anxiety, loneliness, and even make us feel ‘less than.’ So while it connected us, it also brought new problems."

 

Now, let's talk about Instagram, which was launched in 2010 by Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger. I look at Instagram as Facebook’s little sibling, as it foundationally has the same uses but then became what we know as Instagram today. The founders saw how popular sharing photos was amongst people, but they wanted an easier way to enhance photos instead of resources such as Photoshop. So, Instagram is a super easy way to take a picture, slap on a filter, and then share it for friends and family to see. This created a whole new form of communication that wasn’t so business or written-centered, people could share their life via images.

Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger

 

I also found that the name “Instagram” came from the terms “instant camera’ and “telegram.” 

 

Within just a few years, it became the go-to app for visual content, and it totally changed how we communicate. Instead of long posts or messages, people started sharing photos and stories as a way to connect. And it’s not just personal—Instagram made it possible for people to become influencers, start brands, and even run full businesses."

 

Instagram’s impact on communication has been huge. It shifted us to a more visual way of expressing ourselves. Instead of telling people what’s going on in our lives, we can show them. It’s also given rise to the whole influencer culture, where people can build a following and make careers out of their online presence.

 

But, again, it’s not all perfect. Studies have shown that Instagram can contribute to a ‘comparison culture’ you know as many of us do, scrolling through picture-perfect lives can make us feel like we’re not measuring up. And focusing on likes and followers can sometimes make it feel less about connection and more about competition."