What was the first "true" social media network?

The identification of MySpace as the first "true" social media network is rooted in its foundational elements and impact on the evolution of social networking sites. Launched in 2003, MySpace incorporated key features that are characteristic of modern social media, such as customizable user profiles, friend connections, private messaging, and the ability to share content like music and photos.

MySpace allowed users to create personal profiles where they could express their identities, connect with friends, and network within communities—a primary objective of social media platforms. The platform facilitated user interaction in ways that foreshadowed the functions of later networks like Facebook and Twitter.

While LinkedIn focused on professional networking and was launched in 2003, it served a different niche, prioritizing career development and professional connections rather than the broader scope of social interaction. Facebook emerged in 2004, and Twitter followed in 2006. These later platforms built on some of the concepts popularized by MySpace but did not originate the "social media" framework. Thus, MySpace is rightfully acknowledged as a pioneering platform in the genre of social media networks.