The sometimes surprising often humorous story of the forces that came together to shape the central role now plays in contemporary politics and cultureIs a place for sociability and conversation a platform for public broadcasting or a network for discussion Digital platforms have become influential in every sphere of communication from the intimate and everyday to the public professional and political. Since the scrappy startup days of social media in the mid2000s not only has the worldwide importance of platforms grown exponentially but also their cultures have shifted dramatically in a variety of directions. These changes have brought new opportunities for progressive communities to thrive online as well as widespread problems with commercial exploitation disinformation and hate speech.s growth over the past decade like that of much social media has far surpassed its creators vision. charts this trajectory in the format of a platform biography a new streamlined approach to understanding how platforms change over time. Through the often surprising fastmoving story of it illuminates the multiple forcesfrom politics and business to digital ideologiesthat came together to shape the evolution of this revolutionary platform. Jean Burgess and Nancy K. Baym build a rich narrative of how has evolved as a technology a company and a culture from its origins as a personal messaging service to its transformation into one of the most globally influential social media platforms where history and culture is not only recorded but written in real time.