I've been knocking about social media since the '80s
Forgive my ignorance, but how?
I didn't see my first web browser until around '94 and social sites didn't arrive until nearer the end of that decade? Was I just very late to the party?
I guess you are not aware of Usenet. It was arguably the first social media system and commonly used by university researchers and such.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usenet Yes, like many I discovered Usenet by typing rn instead of rm. Our department feed came once or twice a week via tape until we got our own Telebit Trailblazer modem.
The oldest post of mine I can find in Google Groups is from March '88 in comp.sys.mac.hypercard. I later found rec.motorcycles and became a Denizen of Doom.
In 1990 I started a UK motorcycle email list which is still going strong having changed host a few times and after a rename for legal reasons.
This thread brings back memories and takes me back to my geek days, Bulletin Boards and CompuServe.
Made me have a rummage in the cellar, I found a tea chest full of old gear including zx80,Sinclair QL and an Acorn Archimedes. One 1982 'Personal Computer Weekly' magazine made me smile.
The cover article proclaimed "Massive Price Breakthrough" 1MB Hard Drive for less than £1000 (£999).
