California – Today, product features like hashtags and best practices like live-Tweeting are deeply rooted elements of Twitter and part of mainstream cultural vernacular.
Today we look back at some of the landmark moments you’ve created – moments that define our history, and perhaps yours.
A history of Twitter world-wide through Tweets
2006: Co-founder Jack Dorsey Tweeted first, when the service was called “Twttr.”
2007: Early user Chris Messina proposed the use of a hashtag to denote people at the same live event.
https://twitter.com/chrismessina/status/223115412
2008: When the Mars Phoenix Lander found ice on Mars, NASA used Twitter to break the news:
https://twitter.com/MarsPhoenix/status/839088619
2009: Early user Janis Krums happened to be on a ferry when a plane went down in the Hudson River.
2010: In a royal first, Clarence House, the Prince of Wales’ private office, created a Twitter account to announce Prince William’s engagement to Kate Middleton.
https://twitter.com/ClarenceHouse/status/4489951894835200
2011: Up late one night, Sohaib Athar inadvertently live-tweeted the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan.
https://twitter.com/ReallyVirtual/status/64780730286358528
2012: Before he appeared publicly to affirm his second presidential win, President Obama noted it on Twitter. And within hours it became the most retweeted for the year.
2013: Two bombs shook the Boston Marathon – and the world. As news of the blasts and the manhunt spread, Twitter became crucial for journalists, police and citizens alike.
https://twitter.com/BostonGlobe/status/323872661866442753
2014: Twitter as the perfect companion to TV is evidenced by the most retweeted Tweet to date: @TheEllenShow’s starry Oscars photo.
https://blog.twitter.com/2014/the-2014-yearontwitter
2015: As news broke about the attack at the offices of French magazine @Charlie_Hebdo, people everywhere turned to Twitter. @JoachimRoncin’s Tweet soon became a rallying cry for free speech.
Some significant moments on Twitter for South Africa
#OscarTrial: The controversial, much spoken about Oscar Pistorius trial received a lot of attention on Twitter in 2014
#SONA2015: Set Twitter ablaze with the countries comments and Tweets
#CWC15: The world watched and tweeted in disbelief as AB de Villiers unleashed his wrath against the West Indies.
IOL, from a Press Release