Kevin Rose, Owen Byrne, and Ron Gorodetzky introduce a social news aggregator driven entirely by user votes. It redefines content curation by letting the internet audience decide what hits the front page. Part of the… Read More »The Digg Platform Launches
Users on the 4chan imageboard begin acting as a collective, decentralized entity. The shared identity lays the foundation for future internet hacktivism and digital protests. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2003 Edition… Read More »The Birth of Anonymous
Nick Denton founds a media blog that redefines online journalism. It mixes high-speed media gossip with a raw, unfiltered internet commentary style. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2002 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Garrett Camp and Geoff Smith launch a discovery engine website. It popularizes serendipitous web browsing via a single “Stumble” button. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2001 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph found Netflix as a DVD-by-mail service. While not yet a streaming giant, its website-first rental model sets the stage for the eventual death of the video store. Part of the 18 Internet… Read More »Netflix is Founded
Brewster Kahle and Bruce Gilliat found Alexa Internet to track web traffic and archive the internet. This data later becomes the basis for the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine). Part of the 17 Internet Evolution Facts: The 1996 Edition… Read More »The Launch of Alexa Internet
Netscape Communications goes public, and its stock price nearly triples on the first day. This event marks the official start of the Dot-Com Bubble, proving that “internet potential” is a massive magnet for Wall Street capital.… Read More »The Netscape IPO
Alex Tew, a student from England, launches a site containing one million pixels sold for $1 each to fund his university education. It becomes a massive internet phenomenon and a unique time capsule of 2005… Read More »The Million Dollar Homepage Goes Viral
Blizzard Entertainment releases a massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG). It achieves unprecedented mainstream success, moving internet-based gaming culture into the global spotlight. Part of the 18 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2004 Edition archive. HistoricallyVerified
Reid Hoffman and founding team members from PayPal launch a business-oriented social network. It shifts professional networking, resumes, and recruiting into the digital space. Part of the 16 Internet Evolution Facts: The 2003 Edition archive.… Read More »The Launch of LinkedIn