The Rise of Social Media Platforms It’s fascinating to look at how some of today’s biggest social media platforms began. Instagram started as a simple photo-sharing app, and TikTok evolved from a lip-syncing app called Musical.ly. Over time, these platforms have transformed into global tools for communication, marketing, and even activism. What’s really interesting is how quickly a platform can grow when it taps into what people want—even if it starts off small. With so much influence in the world today, it makes you think: what kind of platform could shape the future next?