9 News Australia
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20 Years of Twitter: The Platform That Broke the Internet
Posted
March 25, 2026
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809
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March 25, 2026
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11:04Now PlayingFor nearly 20 years, Twitter has served as the ultimate digital town square, fundamentally changing how the world communicates, consumes news, and shares monumental events in real time. From its humble origins marked by Jack Dorsey's first 140-character tweet to becoming the pivotal platform that amplified grassroots movements like the Arab Spring and propelled Barack Obama’s historic 2008 presidential campaign, Twitter has truly revolutionised the modern internet.
In this comprehensive retrospective from 9News Australia, we explore the platform's incredible evolution and enduring legacy. We delve into how the micro-blogging site democratised storytelling, empowering citizen journalists to report straight from the ground during natural disasters and unfolding global crises before traditional camera crews could even arrive. We also revisit the lighter side of the platform, exploring its massive impact on pop culture. Remember the sheer scale of live-tweeting massive television events like the final season of Game of Thrones? Or the groundbreaking, guerrilla-style viral marketing campaigns for blockbusters like District 9? We even look back at the era of overnight internet sensations, tracking the skyrocketing fame of 'Alex from Target' and the inescapable 'Damn Daniel' trend.
However, the landscape of social media has drastically shifted. We examine the transition from the Twitter of the late 2000s to the 'X' of today. Our journalists discuss the modern challenges of content over-saturation, the dangerous rise of misinformation, and the infamous verification controversies—such as the fake Eli Lilly tweet—that cost major corporations billions of dollars.
Join us as we reflect on two decades of instantaneous connection, the unparalleled power of a trending hashtag, and why the X we know today is a stark contrast to the revolutionary community-focused site that changed the digital game forever.
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