March 21 marked 12 years since the first tweet appeared on Twitter. It’s the perfect opportunity to reflect on the platform’s successes—as well as its shortcomings—over the last dozen years.
The social media platform can be a double-edged sword for users. While Twitter has been heralded as a powerful tool for spreading awareness around important causes, it has also been the vehicle for millions of fake news-spouting accounts. To mark Twitter’s 12 years in operation, here are 12 defining moments in the platform’s history.