The Evolution of Social Media and Blogging | History of the Internet Episode 7

Ryan Haylett

So, let’s talk about the origins of social media. It’s fascinating to think how it all started, right? The earliest platforms like Six Degrees—yeah, I’m talking mid-90s here—basically offered what we’d now call novelty interactions. You could create profiles, make connections, and send messages, but it was, by today’s standards, really basic.

Dave Rowley

Oh, absolutely. Six Degrees was kind of like the rough draft for every social network we know today. It’s like looking at an old blueprint that has elements you’d recognize, but you’re like, “Who would actually live here?”

Ryan Haylett

Exactly! And then we got MySpace and Friendster in the early 2000s, which really started moving things forward.

Dave Rowley

You've told me plenty of stories from those days. You had a lot going on for yourself on MySpace, didn't you?

Ryan Haylett

Those were my chronically online days, and I have MySpace to thank for bringing me to where I am today. This is where I had my first experience with CSS, which is still how we style the web.

Dave Rowley

We will have to thank the founder, Tom Anderson if we meet him someday. It sounds like Modularity may not exist without him.

Ryan Haylett

You might be right about that. MySpace gave myself and many others not only a sense of digital identity, but a creative outlet that sharpened a sword that is still used today.

Dave Rowley

My parents kept us all away from websites like this, so my experience is limited to the research we've done for this episode.

Ryan Haylett

That may have been for the best, honestly, we have a whole discussion planned on how dangerous social media can be...

Dave Rowley

It really isn't for kids, MySpace especially. But back on topic, what were some of the stand out features?

Ryan Haylett

You could customize your profile, add music, rank your top 8 friends by how much you loved them—it was basically your personal corner of the internet.

Dave Rowley

If you didn’t have a neon scrolling banner and a playlist that automatically started playing, were you even trying?

Ryan Haylett

Ha! True, but what MySpace did that was game-changing was how it introduced the idea of multimedia interaction—something we take for granted now.

Dave Rowley

And Friendster paved the way for the whole idea of mapping relationships, showing you a network within a network. But they had their limits, right?

Ryan Haylett

Oh yeah, Friendster just kinda... folded under its own weight. Not only technically, but conceptually. And then, the moment Facebook came in...

Dave Rowley

Facebook took social networking and made it streamlined, and accessible—a platform that matured along with its audience.

Ryan Haylett

I think what really redefined everything was their News Feed. It wasn’t just about connecting anymore; it was about keeping up with everyone, in real time.

Dave Rowley

Yeah, and that News Feed... phew, I mean it changed how we interact with—well, reality? Suddenly, your digital life was a constant scroll of updates, and you kinda had this feeling like you needed to keep up or get left behind.

Ryan Haylett

And Twitter kept that momentum going, but in a whole different way. Suddenly, you had this global megaphone. Every major event felt immediate because people were tweeting reactions as things happened.

Dave Rowley

And let’s not forget, it wasn’t just global—it was personal. You had this direct line to influencers, celebrities, even politicians. Sometimes maybe too direct.

Ryan Haylett

True, but it all ties back to how these platforms fundamentally shaped digital interaction. They created this idea of a constantly connected world—a foundation, really, for where we are now.

Dave Rowley

Before the constantly connected world we just talked about, there was another chapter in this digital evolution—blogging.

Ryan Haylett

Platforms like LiveJournal and Blogger, hitting their stride in the late 90s and early 2000s, were revolutionary. They gave people a space to share full, thought-out posts—not just quick snippets like tweets, but real, personal expressions that told stories and sparked conversations long before the age of social media dominance.

Dave Rowley

Yeah, LiveJournal was like a public diary, right? A little emo, a little chaotic—but man, you couldn’t beat the raw authenticity. And Blogger, oh man—that platform just made it ridiculously easy to share your thoughts. No coding needed, just type, post, and bam, you’re published.

Ryan Haylett

Right. And that’s where WordPress came in, shifting things to a whole new level. It launched in 2003, and while it started as just another blogging platform, it evolved into this publishing juggernaut. I mean, over 40% of the entire internet now runs on WordPress. That’s mind-blowing when you think about its origin as a simple tool for blogging.

Dave Rowley

It’s crazy. Like, today you can build anything—from a personal blog about your cat’s adventures to a full-on e-commerce site. And it’s all built on WordPress’s open-source backbone. It's been Modularity's main platform of choice for web development since 2009.

Ryan Haylett

Yeah, and what made it so powerful was how powerful it became. It can be a simple tool, but with the open-source community behind it, almost anything was, and still is possible.

Dave Rowley

And you’ve gotta admit, that flipped traditional media on its head. Instead of going through newspapers or TV execs to share a story, you had bloggers popping up who could just—boom—put their unique perspectives out there. No filters.

Ryan Haylett

Exactly. And it wasn’t just about the content—it was about the connection. Blogging created these communities around niche topics, bringing people together in ways that traditional media couldn’t. It sort of democratized storytelling.

Dave Rowley

And don’t forget how it paved the way for influencers, too—the OG ones. Bloggers were really the first to monetize their platforms, right? Ads, sponsorships... they showed you could turn passion into a profession.

Ryan Haylett

True. It’s wild to think how all of this laid the groundwork not just for modern content creation, but for this whole ecosystem of user-driven broadcasting.

Dave Rowley

Building on that, it’s fascinating how blogging and platforms like WordPress set the stage for something even bigger—this shift from passive content consumption to active creation.

Ryan Haylett

Suddenly, it wasn’t just professionals telling stories; everyone had a voice. That’s where user-generated content began to take off in a huge way.

Dave Rowley

Oh, users went from being spectators to—what do they call it?—content creators, right? Like, you didn’t need to be some big media mogul to share your ideas, you just needed an internet connection and maybe a little courage.

Ryan Haylett

Exactly. And it wasn’t just a change for individuals—it transformed how communities formed. Suddenly, people found others who shared their interests, whether it was a niche hobby or a global cause. That level of connection just wasn’t possible before.

Dave Rowley

Totally. I mean, take forums and message boards from back in the day. Those were great, but they had, like, this kind of… clunky, static structure. When blogs and social platforms came along, it was like boom—everyone had a stage.

Ryan Haylett

Yep, and for brands, too—it opened up this whole new world of engagement. No longer was it just about pushing ads to people, it became about creating conversations. Think about how YouTube creators or, later, podcasters started shaping brand identities through authentic content.

Dave Rowley

And it wasn’t just “engaging with customers,” right? It was building communities. You knew your audience, they knew you, and there was this kinda real interaction—not that polished corporate stuff we’d been used to.

Ryan Haylett

Exactly. What’s fascinating is how user-generated content helped redefine the relationship between creators and their audiences. It wasn’t just one-way communication anymore; it was this back-and-forth collaboration.

Dave Rowley

Yeah, and honestly, it shook up the whole playing field. Like, in the past, if you wanted a platform, you’d be jumping through all these hoops with traditional publishers or broadcasters. Now? Nope. You’ve got WordPress, YouTube, Instagram—and suddenly, anyone with an idea can make waves.

Ryan Haylett

And let’s not forget that this wave of user-driven platforms tied back to this idea of democratization. It wasn’t just about content—it was about power. People could challenge traditional narratives, call out institutions, and amplify voices that were otherwise overlooked.

Dave Rowley

Right, like suddenly, everyone had a tool to, I don’t know, change the world in some small way. Whether it was a blog post or a viral video, even the underdog could stand out.

Ryan Haylett

And the changes? They weren’t just short-term. The legacy of user-generated content is still shaping how we communicate, share, and even build communities online today.

Dave Rowley

Thinking about the legacy of user-generated content, it’s almost impossible not to see how it became a cornerstone for the web’s evolution. From those early blogging platforms to today’s vast digital ecosystems, these changes didn’t just alter communication—they’ve transformed the very fabric of our online lives.

Ryan Haylett

Totally. And it’s kinda wild to think we went from, you know, “Here’s my favorite song on MySpace” to living in this world where entire careers, movements—heck, even revolutions—are shaped by posts or tweets.

Dave Rowley

Exactly. The leap from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0 has been transformative. And now? We’re standing on the brink of something even bigger.

Ryan Haylett

But, like anything revolutionary, it brings its share of challenges, especially when it comes to social media.

Dave Rowley

Yeah, and not just in the “I’ve spent too much time doom-scrolling” way. We’re talking about real, systemic stuff—how the platforms we love can also manipulate, control, and—even subtly—shape what we see and think.

Ryan Haylett

Right. It’s all about influence—how governments, corporations, and billionaires use these algorithms and platforms to guide the narrative. In the next episode, we’re gonna dive deeper into this. We’ll explore the darker side of social media, and more importantly, how we can take back control.

Dave Rowley

Ooh, a little dystopian, a little empowering—I like where this is headed. But hey, before we wrap up, if you’re feeling inspired to create or improve your own corner of the web—whether that’s a sleek new website, stepping up your SEO game, or just getting your socials in order—we can help you out.

Ryan Haylett

Definitely. Head over to modularity.us to get a quote for your next web or tech project. We’re talking everything from website design to digital marketing strategies.

Dave Rowley

And hey, why spend hours stressing over it when you can let us handle the details? Seriously, reach out at modularity.us.

Ryan Haylett

And that’s all for today. Thanks for joining us on this trip through the evolution of social media and blogging.

Dave Rowley

Can’t wait—bring your tin foil hats, folks!