Friendster was a social networking service founded by Jonathan Abrams in 2002. Early versions of Friendster functioned in much the same way as eventual successor Facebook. As the social media market consolidated, by 2009, Friendster was purchased by Malaysian company MOL Global. That same year, MOL Global sold 18 Friendster patents to Facebook. Friendster remained relatively popular in southeast Asia for a few more years until it was shut down in 2015.
| Aspect | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Founding and Launch | Friendster was founded by Jonathan Abrams in March 2002 and was officially launched in June 2003. It was one of the first social networking sites that allowed users to create profiles, connect with friends, and interact online. |
| Early Popularity | Friendster quickly gained popularity in Asia and the United States. At its peak, it had over 100 million registered users. The platform allowed users to connect with friends, post photos, and interact through messages and comments. It was seen as a pioneer in online social networking. |
| Technical Issues and Scalability | Friendster experienced significant technical challenges as its user base grew rapidly. The platform faced issues related to scalability, leading to slow loading times and service disruptions. These technical issues frustrated users and contributed to the decline of the platform’s popularity. |
| Competition from MySpace and Facebook | Friendster faced competition from emerging social networking platforms like MySpace and later, Facebook. MySpace, in particular, gained traction among younger users and offered more customization options. Facebook’s clean interface and focus on college students also posed a significant challenge to Friendster. |
| User Migration | Many Friendster users began migrating to MySpace and later to Facebook due to the technical issues and the appeal of new features on these platforms. The mass migration of users resulted in a decline in Friendster’s user base and overall engagement. |
| Relaunch as a Gaming Platform | In 2011, Friendster was rebranded as a gaming platform called “Friendster Social Gaming Network.” The new focus was on providing online games and entertainment content. This transition marked the platform’s shift away from social networking. |
| Complete Shutdown | In 2011, Friendster ceased its social networking services entirely and officially shut down its platform. Users were given the opportunity to export their photos and data to other services. The decision to close Friendster marked the end of an era in social networking. |
| Legacy | Although Friendster did not achieve long-term success as a social networking platform, it played a pioneering role in the early days of online social interaction. It set the stage for subsequent social media platforms, and its rise and fall provided valuable lessons for the development and scalability of online communities. Friendster’s legacy is a reminder of the dynamic nature of the tech industry. |
Background
Friendster was a social networking service founded by Jonathan Abrams in 2002.
It went live in 2003 and secured three million users in the first three months. Launched before the likes of Myspace and Facebook, Friendster was one of the earliest social media networks to gain mass appeal.
It was particularly popular in Asia where it boasted around 115 million registered users at its peak in 2011.
Friendster was successful because it was more than a simple social networking site. It provided opportunities for its users to make new friends and stay in touch with old ones.
Users could also discover new events, brands, and hobbies in addition to sharing content. Early versions of Friendster functioned in much the same way as eventual successor Facebook.
This begs the question: why did Friendster close in 2015 while Facebook continues to be a social media juggernaut? In truth, it was due to a combination of reasons.
A change of direction
Near the peak of its popularity, Friendster made the fateful decision to transition from a social networking site into a gaming site.
They did this without consulting their current users, who lost the content they had placed on Friendster during the shift.
As a result, many became disenfranchised and began deserting the platform to competitors such as Facebook.
The gaming platform itself was well regarded and functional. But it appealed to a smaller section of Friendster’s original user base.
The company also missed a massive opportunity to profit from the rise of social media by deviating from its core offering at the worst possible time.
What’s more, the gaming platform was enjoyable for users but only up to a certain point.
Sites such as Facebook incorporated news feeds into their social networks which continuously served fresh content to users.
This was a crucial addition that separated Facebook from Friendster and other such sites.
A lack of new features
Despite the lack of a news feed, it might be surprising to learn that Friendster had slated one for development. The company also had plans to launch a college edition and develop a social graph.
These plans never materialized because of constant tech issues and a lack of investor interest. Had these features been implemented, Friendster may have become the Facebook of today.
Venture capital funding
Friendster turned down a lucrative acquisition offer from Google worth $30 million in 2003. It also received similar offers from AOL and Yahoo.
Instead, Abrams chose to fund the growth of the company through venture capitalists.
This populated the company board of directors with individuals who channeled funds into low-impact initiatives and not technology-focused development.
Tech issues and patent sales
Friendster gradually fell by the wayside as it continued to lose market share to Facebook.
Inadequate investment of company funds meant the user experience was poor and neglected, with pages routinely slow to load or not loading at all.
Friendster also had difficulty in managing the new subscribers it did manage to obtain.
In 2009, Friendster was purchased by Malaysian company MOL Global. That same year, MOL Global sold 18 Friendster patents to Facebook.
Friendster remained relatively popular in southeast Asia for a few more years until it was shut down in 2015.
Key takeaways:
- Friendster was a social networking site that then transitioned to a gaming platform. Ultimately, Friendster failed to capitalize on its early success as one of the first social media platforms to experience mass uptake.
- When Friendster became a gaming platform, it failed to notify its user base. This set in motion the migration of users to Facebook which would continue for some years.
- Friendster’s decision to raise funds via venture capital funding populated its board with investors who were not interested in technology or innovation. The company was acquired by MOL Global in 2009 who then sold its patents to Facebook soon after.
Quick Timeline
- Friendster was a social networking service founded in 2002, one of the earliest social media networks with mass appeal.
- It was popular in Asia, boasting around 115 million registered users at its peak in 2011.
- Friendster’s downfall can be attributed to a change of direction when it transitioned from a social networking site to a gaming platform without consulting its users.
- The gaming platform, though functional, appealed to a smaller segment of Friendster’s original user base, causing many users to switch to competitors like Facebook.
- Friendster missed opportunities to develop new features, such as a news feed and social graph, which could have helped it compete with Facebook.
- The company’s choice to fund growth through venture capital led to a board focused on low-impact initiatives rather than technology development.
- Technical issues and inadequate user experience, along with the sale of patents to Facebook, contributed to Friendster’s decline.
- Friendster remained relatively popular in southeast Asia for a few more years until it was shut down in 2015.
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