# Finger Protocol: The Social Network That Refuses to Die

A look back at the Finger protocol, a 1970s system for sharing user status and information over the internet. The piece explains how this early "social network" has quietly persisted, surviving through Unix culture and niche communities. Its endurance highlights how simple, open protocols can outlast modern centralized platforms.

**Importance:** 2/5

## Sources

### Technology
- [Hacker News](https://en.andros.dev/blog/54572bc7/finger-the-1971-social-network-that-never-died/) — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 07:21:35 +0000