The invention of Instant Messaging (IM) was a game-changer in many ways for the communication industry and more. Instant Messaging was first introduced in 1971. It was created by computer scientist "Murray Turoff, in 1971 as a chat function on a government computer network. American computer scientist Murray Turoff created IM as part of the Emergency Management Information Systems and Reference Index (EMISARI) for the Office of Emergency Preparedness." The invention and release of Instant Messaging was monumental for many industries and people across the country. IM allowed for the first time instant online communication with people across time zones and locations. It was a free platform to interact and spread information over the internet in a different format than email or previous communication techniques. The invention of IM created a more convenient way of communicating and staying in touch with family, friends, and even in the workplace.
The invention of Instant Messaging was a foundational step toward further advances in the IM world. It quickly leads to SMS and texting as we now know it. Instant messaging is still widely used across the world and provides an instant connection for many on a daily basis. IM has seen significant improvements since it was first invented. The fact that IM is still used almost 50 years later means that it was crucial to the functionality of society and smaller communities.
Instant Messaging has had a big impact on businesses and organizations worldwide. Many major companies use instant messaging apps to communicate with co-workers or teammates about quick questions or to send information regarding a certain project. Many messaging apps have been required for employees to download to communicate in group messages with the company or send direct chats to coworkers throughout the workday. Some may see this use of IM as a positive while some may disagree saying it takes away from productivity in the workplace. During the pandemic, instant messaging apps saw a 40% increase in usage as companies needed a way to contact coworkers in the most efficient manner while many worked from home for months. "Instant messaging is quick and convenient. It’s often faster than sending an email and waiting for a reply. This makes it a great addition to workplace communications." As I have now personally completed multiple internships I have seen that IM dynamic and interacted with my supervisors on IM apps and see a big advantage in the opportunity to ask questions and leave comments in a quick and informal format when appropriate. IM also allows for co-workers to interact and connect personally with each other when they aren't working under the same roof or even spread out around towns and states.
Almost all inventions come with some downfalls, the creation of instant messaging created security and data issues for many businesses that started using instant messaging apps in the early stages. When employees would save documents or attachments there were multiple times where they were not private or not saved properly in the chat which can lead to further issues. Also, many early instant messaging apps were not secure and created a dangerous threat of virus downloads from hackers. Finally, when instant messaging reached teenagers and younger audiences cyberbullying escalated. IM is more difficult to track than an email so people found it more 'safe' to say mean or hurtful things to someone else if it was not going to be traced back to them. Instant messaging, despite the negatives, has seen improvements and changes to increase its functionality across the world and remains a popular option despite the competitive market.
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