Who started the word lol?

While the exact origin of "lol" is difficult to pinpoint, it's widely believed to have emerged in the early days of online communication, specifically on Usenet and early Bulletin Board Systems (BBSs) in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Here's why it's hard to pinpoint a single inventor:

* Emergence through shared use: "Lol" likely arose organically as users sought ways to convey humor and laughter in the text-based world of early online communication.

* Lack of formal documentation: The early internet was a decentralized and informal space, so there are no official records of who first used "lol."

* Multiple claims: Over time, various individuals have claimed to be the originators of "lol," but these claims are usually anecdotal and lack definitive proof.

However, some sources suggest that "lol" may have initially been used as an acronym for "laughing out loud," a phrase that was already in common use before the internet.

Ultimately, while we may never know the precise origins of "lol," its emergence reflects the evolving nature of language and communication in the digital age.