How AOL Instant Messenger Provided the Blueprint for Modern Online Communication
23 years ago, AOL Instant Messenger was launched by Barry Appelman, Jerry Harris, and Eric Bosco. Their goal was to introduce a free messaging service that allowed users to have casual and instant conversation. With the rapid rise of the Internet, AIM pioneered a brand new era of online communication.
As a teenager, I thought that AIM was the best thing since The Lion King hit movie theaters in 1994. It gave me an opportunity to communicate with my friends and complete strangers without having to worry about my parents picking up the phone while I’m on the line. Before AIM, most kids my age ran home after school to gossip on the phone with friends while watching music videos on MTV. As AIM became more popular and trendy, I wanted to be connected online as much as I could. That nifty yellow running man logo became a status symbol for young millennials back in 1997. Once AIM was introduced, it became hard to live without.
AIM proved its significance in digital history by providing users an opportunity to communicate in a non-traditional way. Real-time was a key feature because it allowed immediate feedback. As innovative as e-mail was, instant messaging was a major upgrade. We no longer had to wait for lengthy periods for responses or even make long-distance phone calls. With the creation of AIM, we also saw the introduction of screen names and internet jargon such as LOL. These phrases were groundbreaking and have developed into the modern online languages that we use today.
In order to use AIM, users had to search for their friends online using exact screen names. To enable users to see when their friends were online, Appelman created the Buddy List. The Buddy List was an organized list of AIM contacts that informed you who was online or offline. Using the Buddy List, a user could then create a chat room based on their contacts. Although it worked like standard instant messaging, chat rooms allowed users with similar interests to connect from anywhere and communicate efficiently.
Despite being the leading online messaging service of the late 1990s and early 2000s, AIM couldn’t keep up with the modern social media age. AIM refused to collaborate and innovate, causing users to direct their attention to other messaging services with more advanced features. Even though AIM suffered a massive downfall, its significance in digital history will always be remembered. Michael Albers (VP of communications product at Oath) said, “AIM tapped into new digital technologies and ignited a cultural shift.” Today, because of AIM, we are able to communicate online in many unique ways. It laid the foundation for numerous companies to build upon and has changed the landscape of communication forever.
Sources:
Bowman, N. (2017, December 11). AOL Instant Messenger Taught Us How To Communicate in the Modern World. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/innovation/aol-instant-messenger-taught-us-how-to-communicate-in-modern-world-180967484/
Panko, B. (2017, October 6). The Sharp Rise and Steep Descent of AOL Instant Messenger. Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pioneering-aol-instant-messenger-end-180965152/
