How Social Media Would Have Looked Like in the 80’s

The invention of the internet in the 1960s and its widespread availability in the 1990s revolutionized the communication landscape. It has also made possible the birth of social media, which has massively impacted every aspect of life today. However, what if social media emerged in the 1980s? What would it have looked like, and how would it have affected our lives?

The Birth of Social Media

To understand how social media might have looked like in the 80s, we must first consider the computing technology available during that time. Personal computers became accessible via home computer systems, such as the Apple II and Commodore 64. However, the internet was still in its infancy, so no websites or applications could connect people globally.

Nevertheless, some early forms of social media emerged. Bulletin board systems (BBS) were one of the primary methods of digital communication during the 80s. These early comms systems allowed people to connect phone lines to their home computer and communicate with others using basic text-based messaging systems.

The User Experience of Social Media in the 80s

If social media had indeed been around in the 80s, the user experience would have been quite different from what we enjoy today. Firstly, the visual graphics would have been limited, primarily based on ASCII text with little to no images. Instead, users would have had to type out their thoughts onto a blank screen before sending them out into the world.

Secondly, because these bulletin board systems relied on phone line technology, there would have been limited times when a user could send or receive messages. Users would have had to dial in at specific times (often outside of the standard working hours) to receive or send messages. As a result, social media in the 80s would likely have been more suited to a niche audience of enthusiasts or hobbyists who wanted to connect with each other.

Impact on Society

Assuming that the technology had evolved over the years, the impact of social media in the 80s would still have been significant. It would have allowed the world to be more connected, and people would have been able to share ideas and thoughts globally, albeit on a smaller scale than today. Furthermore, it would have given people a voice, allowing them to form communities around shared interests and problems.

One benefit of 80s social media could have been that people would embrace the freedom of anonymity without the negative consequences we see today. Of course, it would also have had the potential for misuse by bringing in its own set of security and privacy concerns.

Conclusion

In conclusion, social media in the 80s would have been a different story from what we know today. Although the core principle of being able to connect with people remains the same, the early forms of social media would have been limited in their visual and audio capabilities, connectivity, and overall accessibility. Despite their limitations, the early forms of social media laid the groundwork for the technological advancements seen today.