Every new user who registered on Myspace in its early years was automatically assigned a profile belonging to Tom Anderson, earning him the lasting moniker of the site's first friend. Born in San Diego in 1970, Anderson transitioned from a teenage computer hacker into a pivotal figure in the expansion of social networking technology.
Early Technological Pursuits
Before his involvement in social media, Anderson attended San Pasqual High School in Escondido, where he gained notoriety as a hacker under the handle Lord Flathead. His activities, including unauthorized access to a computer system at Chase Manhattan Bank, eventually triggered a raid by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. His academic path included studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he focused on English and rhetoric, followed by film studies at the University of California, Los Angeles.
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Anderson entered the digital workforce in 2000 as a product tester and copywriter for XDrive, a digital storage company where he met Chris DeWolfe. Following XDrive's bankruptcy in 2001, the pair co-founded ResponseBase, a direct marketing firm that was sold to Brad Greenspan's eUniverse in 2002. In August 2003, Anderson and other eUniverse employees launched Myspace. The platform was designed as an alternative to Friendster, specifically moving away from that site's policy of restricting user accounts to real names.
Corporate Acquisition and Transition
The growth of Myspace accelerated under the parent entity Intermix Media. In 2005, News Corp acquired the platform for $580 million. During this period, Anderson served as president of the company. Internal friction emerged following the buyout, with reports suggesting that the transition from a nimble startup to a corporate subsidiary created significant operational bottlenecks. Anderson was removed from his role as president in April 2009. By 2010, the platform had replaced his profile as the default initial contact for new users.
Post-Corporate Interests
Since leaving the executive structure of Myspace, Anderson has pursued interests outside of traditional software entrepreneurship. He became an adviser for RocketFrog Interactive in 2012, but has since expressed a lack of desire to return to his former professional life. Following an experience at the 2011 Burning Man festival, he developed a dedicated focus on landscape photography. He has traveled to regions including Thailand and Myanmar to capture images, applying an aesthetic approach that he compares to painting rather than literal documentation.
Fast facts
- Born: 1970, San Diego
- Education: University of California, Berkeley; University of California, Los Angeles
- Myspace co-founder: 2003
- News Corp acquisition: 2005
- News Corp sale price: $580 million
- Former occupation: Lead singer of the band Swank
- Previous business: ResponseBase
- Departure from Myspace presidency: 2009
Questions readers ask
What was Tom Anderson's role at Myspace?
He was a co-founder and later served as the company's president.
Is Tom Anderson still working in technology?
He has shifted his focus away from his previous vocation, primarily pursuing interests such as landscape photography.
Achievements
- Educated at University of California, Berkeley and University of California, Los Angeles
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