GAFAMs form a group of ubiquitous companies that seem to rule as masters on our screens and lives. But who are they really and what are they doing in our lives already full of screens and gadgets?
GAFAM, what exactly is it?
GAFAM is the acronym given to American digital giants: Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon and Microsoft. These companies are huge, offering products and services used by billions of people around the world.
More than web giants
Since their beginnings, the GAFAM has become colossals of the world economy. But they're not just giants, they're also pioneers. They have revolutionized the way technology is being used and have been at the forefront of global digital technology adoption.
The 5 GAFAMs
👉 A GAFAM represents one of the 5 major companies. The latter are there, 24/7, to do us service, to connect with our loved ones, to entertain us, in short, to be everywhere, all the time.
1- GAFAM Google, is an online search leader, providing information even when your search is vague.
2- GAFAM Apple is recognized for its innovative products, which makes you still want the latest version of their product, even if you don't really need it.
3- GAFAM Facebook (now Meta), the social media giant, has redefined how we interact online, creating virtual links between billions of people around the world.
4- GAFAM Amazon, it's kind of the world supermarket on the internet, where you can buy about anything you want, from basic necessities to the latest fashion items.
5- GAFAM MicrosoftIt is like the Swiss knife of the computer world, with its software that offers a variety of software and tools whose usefulness is not always clear, but which you still use.
But the GAFAMs are not the only major players. Other web giants, such as NATU (Netflix, Airbnb, Tesla, Uber), also marked their presence in the area.
LinkedIn belongs to GAFAM Microsoft
In 2016, Microsoft made a huge acquisition by buying LinkedIn for the sum of $26.2 billion. This transaction is one of the most remarkable in the history of social networks, with a prize that attracted a lot of attention. 😱
Why did Miscrosoft buy GAFAM LinkedIn?
Now you may be wondering why Microsoft has got hold of LinkedIn. Well, Microsoft, with its Office suite, is already well anchored in the professional world. Excel, Word, PowerPoint - these are tools that you probably use every day at work (or you claim to use, but you spend more time playing Solitaire 🤪 ).
So, with LinkedIn in their back pocket, Microsoft can merge their productivity tools with a social network where professionals connect, recruit and share knowledge.
LinkedIn is still the giant of social networks. It occupies a dominant position in the digital landscape as one of the most lucrative platforms for data collection. With millions of active users daily around the world, it holds a quasi-monopoly in its field.
Today, the value of the data is indisputable, placing them even above oil according to some experts as early as 2017. As noted in Boursorama article, the data is now considered "the new 21st century black gold". And LinkedIn has adapted perfectly to this reality by capitalizing on the monetization of data.
Which GAFAM belongs to these other social networks?
GAFAM Youtube?
Since its acquisition by Google in 2006, YouTube is now under the umbrella of the Alphabet group, which was born thanks to the famous search engine. This video platform is like the crown jewel for the web giant, as it far surpasses the audiences of traditional television channels.
GAFAM Instagram?
Messenger is the jewel of Facebook. More specifically, he is held by his parent company named Meta, which now brings together the four platforms, with Instagram acquired in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014.
Tik Tok?
TikTok, launched in 2017, has a small feature in its history: unlike many other platforms, It does not belong to any GAFAM, but to ByteDance, a Chinese company. And what an adventure! With its fulgurating success throughout the world, especially among young people, it has become a real phenomenon. But guess what? In China, it's a little different. Over there, the platform is called Customs, and it follows the rules of Internet censorship of the country very closely.
Now you know who the GAFAMs are and which one of them belongs to LinkedIn. And as the world evolves towards an increasingly digital age, their influence is only growing, for better or worse.