Friendster

Friendster
Screenshot of Friendster's main page, updated in July 2024
Type of site
Social networking service
Founded2002; 22 years ago (2002)
Dissolved2015; 9 years ago (2015)
Headquarters
Dover, Delaware
,
United States
Area servedWorldwide
Key peopleMike Carson (CEO)
URLwww.friendster.com
AdvertisingBanner ads, Contextual ads, Sponsorships
RegistrationFree
Users8.2 million (June 2010)[1]
LaunchedMarch 22, 2003; 21 years ago (March 22, 2003)
Current statusDefunct

Friendster is a social networking service originally based in Mountain View, California, founded by Jonathan Abrams and launched in March 2003.[2][3] Before Friendster was redesigned, the service allowed users to contact other members, maintain those contacts, and share online content and media with those contacts.[4] The website was also used for dating and discovering new events, bands, and hobbies. Users could share videos, photos, messages, and comments with other members via profiles and networks.[4] It is considered one of the original social networking services.[5]

After the launching of Friendster as a social gaming platform in June 2011, the number of registered users reached over 115 million. The company operated mainly from four Asian countries: the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, and Singapore, and over 90% of the site's traffic came from Asia. As of 2008, Friendster had more monthly unique visitors than any other social network in Asia.[6][7][8] Friendster remained notably popular in Indonesia through 2012.[9]

The company suspended services in 2015, citing "the evolving landscape in our challenging industry" and lack of engagement by the online community,[10] and ceased trading in 2018.

  1. ^ "DoubleClick Ad Planner". Archived from the original on October 10, 2010. Retrieved November 2, 2011.
  2. ^ Eric Eldon, August 4, 2008. "Friendster raises $20 million, nabs a Googler to be CEO Archived August 24, 2017, at the Wayback Machine" VentureBeat. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
  3. ^ Gary Rivlin, October 15, 2006. "Wallflower at the Web Party Archived April 19, 2017, at the Wayback Machine." New York Times. Retrieved December 4, 2008.
  4. ^ a b "Friendster at a Glance document" (PDF). Images.friendster.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 31, 2009.
  5. ^ "May: Month of the Internet Rapture – TNW Social Media". Thenextweb.com. May 20, 2011. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018. Retrieved October 22, 2011.
  6. ^ ComScore Press Release, June 30, 2008. "India and China Propel Internet Audience Growth in Asia-Pacific Region, According to comScore Archived May 5, 2009, at the Wayback Machine", Press Release. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
  7. ^ Ling Woo Liu, January 29, 2008. "Friendster Moves to Asia Archived May 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine", TIME. Retrieved October 27, 2008.
  8. ^ "Friendster.com - Living the Game". Friendster.com. Archived from the original on December 19, 2008.
  9. ^ Saylor, Michael (2012). The Mobile Wave: How Mobile Intelligence Will Change Everything. Perseus Books/Vanguard Press. pp. 129, 304. ISBN 978-1593157203.
  10. ^ "Friendster.com – Living the Game". Archived from the original on November 20, 2002.