Here's what we know:
* No single person can be credited with inventing "lol." It likely emerged organically as people searched for ways to convey humor and laughter in text-based conversations.
* Early use of "lol" dates back to the mid-1980s. It was first used in Usenet newsgroups, which were the predecessor to modern online forums.
* "lol" is a shortened form of "laughing out loud." While "LOL" was often typed in all caps, "lol" became the more common form over time.
So, while we don't know the exact individual who coined "lol," it's a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of early internet users who found ways to express themselves in this new digital space.