The Rise and Fall of Instant Messaging: EOTO Project

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Instant Messaging is a term that people have not really used within recent years. While it was incredibly trendy within the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, it is a mode of communication that has been adapted and changed so much to the point where other forms have taken over. Such forms include Facetime, Skype, and social media platforms in general (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.). Without Instant Messaging, however, these forms of communication would not exist to the length that they do today. 

Instant Messaging formulated within the 1960’s--much earlier than I originally had anticipated. The first system of IM was formed at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1961. Up to 30 users could message each other on the platform at once, which was quite impressive given that it was the start of the 60’s. Four years later, hundreds of people had made accounts through the systems and were eagerly messaging other users whenever they wished. This system continued without little change until 1982, when a new company came into the picture. Commodore International released a computer system called Quantum Link, or later known as AOL into the communication field. This is referred to as the first system strictly dedicated to online chat, with users having to pay a monthly fee to be able to message one another on the platform. Moving on to 1996, an Israeli company launched a text-based messaging system called ICQ that reached a vast amount of people. With its wide range and popularity, AOL bought ICQ and launched AIM in 1997. AIM was a huge turning point for instant messaging, as it had more functions than any other messaging service in prior years. It offered chat rooms, profiles, icons, and permitted people to make “BuddyLists” with known friends on the platform. In 2005, AIM had over 53 million users interacting with the system--a huge number for the communication field. AOL inspired other instant messaging systems to develop, including Yahoo messenger in 1998, MSN messenger in 1999, and Facebook messenger in 2008. 

Multiple trends developed from Instant Messaging, with the main one being shorthand acronyms. Before IM, slang within messaging was not a popular form of communication. Now, slang and acronyms are incredibly popular modes of communication. In fact, my friends and I probably use shorthand twice in each text we send out. Such examples include OMG (oh my gosh), BRB (be right back), ILY (i love you), TTYL (talk to you later), LOL (laugh out loud), and so much more. 

Despite having lots of success during its prime point in time, Instant Messaging has had a downfall in recent years. People have resulted to video messaging (Facetime, Skype) and just generally posting on social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest) to communicate with others. Chat rooms are a thing of the past, as one can clearly tell from the rise and fall of MySpace--which had millions of users in the early 2000’s and now is no longer active. People are preferring to “like,” “comment,” and “share” others’ posts rather than directly message them on the platform. Even though Instant Messaging is no longer an active form of communication, the popular forms of social media today and video chat would not fully exist without the creation of IM.


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