A Little Birdie Told Me: A Brief History of Twitter

Twitter, the popular social media platform that revolutionized communication and information sharing, has an intriguing origin story. It emerged from the podcasting venture Odeo, which was founded in 2004 by Evan Williams, Biz Stone, and Noah Glass. Williams and Stone, who had previously worked at Google, joined forces with Glass to create Odeo as a platform for podcasting. However, their plans took an unexpected turn when Apple announced in 2005 that it would add podcasts to its digital media application iTunes. This development posed a significant threat to Odeo’s success, prompting the company’s leadership to seek a new direction.

In search of fresh ideas, the employees at Odeo were asked about any interesting side projects they were working on. It was during this time that engineer Jack Dorsey proposed a novel concept—a short message service (SMS) that would allow users to share small blog-like updates with their friends. Dorsey envisioned a platform that would enable quick and efficient communication, perfect for the fast-paced digital age. Glass, on the other hand, suggested the name “Twttr” for this new venture.

On March 21, 2006, Dorsey sent out the first tweet, which read, “just setting up my twttr.” This marked the humble beginnings of what would later become Twitter. The initial version of the platform debuted in July 2006, and the founders recognized its potential, leading them to buy out Odeo and establish a new company called Obvious Corp. Their goal was to further develop and refine the innovative communication service.

Twitter gained significant attention and traction after its presentation at the South by Southwest (SXSW) music and technology conference in Austin, Texas, in March 2007. The platform’s unique features and potential for social networking caught the interest of both users and investors. In the following month, Twitter, Inc. was established as a corporate entity, thanks to an infusion of venture capital. Dorsey assumed the role of Twitter’s first chief executive officer (CEO), steering the company through its initial stages.

Throughout its early years, Twitter remained primarily a free SMS service with a social networking element. It lacked a clear revenue stream, unlike other websites that generated income through banner advertising or membership fees. However, its rapid growth, with a staggering 1,300 percent increase in unique visitors in 2009, showcased that Twitter had evolved into something more than just a niche curiosity.

In 2010, Twitter introduced “Promoted Tweets” as its primary source of revenue. These were advertisements that appeared in search results, providing businesses with a way to reach their target audience. Additionally, Twitter unveiled Promoted Trends and Promoted Accounts, further expanding its advertising options.

While Twitter initially appealed to celebrities and individuals interested in following their favorite personalities, it quickly evolved into a valuable tool for businesses and political campaigns. In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, Barack Obama’s social media dominance, with significantly more Myspace friends and Twitter followers than his opponent, John McCain, highlighted the power of platforms like Twitter in shaping public opinion and engaging voters.

One of the most significant milestones in Twitter’s journey was its transformation into a reliable source of up-to-the-minute news. Twitter became a platform that transcended political borders, allowing users to share information and events in real-time. This was evident during the Iranian presidential election in June 2009, where Twitter played a crucial role in disseminating news and coordinating protests. The hashtag #IranElection became one of the most-followed topics on Twitter, as supporters of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi utilized the platform to organize demonstrations and provide live updates from within Iran.

Despite attempts by government authorities to suppress information by blocking individual Twitter accounts, opposition supporters persisted in their efforts to overcome censorship. They urged followers to change their profile settings to the Tehrān time zone, overwhelming government filters and enabling the flow of information. This demonstration of Twitter’s ability to circumvent government censorship highlighted the potential of nontraditional media in providing alternative sources of news.

However, as Twitter’s popularity grew, it also faced challenges. In August 2009, a Georgian economics professor who tweeted about the 2008 military conflict between Russia and Georgia became the target of a massive denial-of-service attack. The attack resulted in a temporary outage of the entire Twitter platform, demonstrating the vulnerability of such online services to malicious activities.

Twitter’s role as a platform for disseminating information and facilitating charitable endeavors became evident in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January 2010. Users turned to Twitter to share news, coordinate relief efforts, and raise funds. The Red Cross launched a mobile giving campaign that exceeded expectations, with high-profile users leveraging their influence to spread awareness and encourage donations. In just 48 hours, Twitter users helped raise over $8 million for the earthquake victims.

The subsequent years saw Twitter continue to evolve and introduce new features aimed at enhancing user engagement. In October 2015, Jack Dorsey returned as CEO, and the platform added “Moments.” This feature allowed users and the service itself to curate thematic collections of tweets and other content, providing a more immersive and dynamic experience for users. In 2017, Twitter increased the character limit of a tweet from 140 to 280 characters, enabling users to express themselves more fully.

Twitter also ventured into the realm of ephemeral content with the introduction of “Fleets” in November 2020. Fleets were collections of tweets and other content that disappeared after 24 hours, similar to the “Stories” feature found on platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook. However, Fleets failed to gain traction among users and were discontinued in August 2021.

In May 2021, Twitter launched “Spaces,” a feature that allowed accounts with more than 600 followers to host live audio conversations. This move positioned Twitter as a platform for real-time interactive discussions, further diversifying its offerings.

One of the most controversial changes in Twitter’s history occurred in March 2016 when it replaced its chronological timeline with an algorithmic timeline. This algorithm prioritized tweets based on popularity and user preferences, potentially reinforcing existing biases and creating information bubbles. While Twitter argued that this change increased user interaction, it faced criticism for altering the platform’s original purpose and potentially limiting the diversity of content users encountered.

After years of striving for profitability, Twitter achieved its first profitable quarter in late 2017, buoyed by its growing user base, which reached 330 million monthly users at the time. In 2019, Twitter shifted its focus from tracking monthly users to “monetizable daily active users.” This metric reflected the number of users exposed to advertisements on a daily basis. As of late 2021, Twitter had 217 million monetizable daily active users.

In November 2021, Jack Dorsey stepped down as CEO once again, and Parag Agrawal, who had been serving as the chief technology officer, assumed the role. Twitter’s future seemed uncertain when, in 2022, Elon Musk announced his plans to purchase the company for approximately $44 billion. However, three months later, Musk withdrew his bid, citing concerns over bot accounts and alleging that Twitter had breached multiple provisions of the purchase agreement.

The ensuing legal battle between Twitter and Musk resulted in shareholders voting to accept Musk’s offer in September 2022. This development marked a significant turning point in Twitter’s history, potentially opening the door to new directions and opportunities under Musk’s ownership.

As one of the most influential social media platforms of our time, Twitter has undergone remarkable growth and transformation since its inception. From its humble beginnings as a side project of Odeo employees to its status as a global communication tool and news source, Twitter has left an indelible mark on the digital landscape. With its ability to facilitate real-time conversations, break news, and connect individuals across the world, Twitter continues to shape the way we communicate, share information, and engage with the world around us.

Read more pieces like this from Michael Beebe at: TheMichaelBeebe.com.