When there is a will, there is always a second chance, the third, and so forth.
Before pretty much anything, before Twitter, Instagram, MySpace and Hi5, before Instagram or even Facebook, there was this social media called Friendster, launched by Canadian computer programmer Jonathan Abrams in 2002.
Predating social media networks in general, Friendster is considered the pioneer in the industry, and was a promising business.
That, before everything went south.
And this time, it's making a return.
At least, it's giving a glimpse of its come back.
At its peak, Friendster pioneered the social media business, and that it had no notable competitors.
But it was its decision to stay private instead of being acquired by Google in 20023, was probably one of the biggest blunders in Silicon Valley. At its peak, it had more than 100 million users, and was a phenomenon, particularly in Asia.
When it declined, following the rise of Facebook, the company was acquired by an internet company based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia named MOL Global, and that its core technical infrastructure patents, were acquired by Facebook.
MOL Global tried repositioning Friendster as a social gaming website, but failed.
In 2021, the Friendster.com website went dark.
No activity whatsoever.
In late 2023, the site was reactivated.
Initially, the home page showed a replica of the early Friendster home page.
About a month later, the design was updated with a newer design.
When Facebook was launched by Mark Zuckerberg, it was swift to adopt new features, and boasted flexibility and a lot more features than Friendster.
The platform was also more reliable, and experienced literally no down time. This is unlike Friendster, which frequently experienced "maintenance server" issues.
Friendster failed due to poor website performance, rising competition, executive turnover, and extensive content moderation.
Its fall serves as a reminder of the importance of staying agile and continuously evolving in the ever-changing landscape of the internet.
This time, signaling a return, Friendster is rejuvenated with a contemporary twist.
"Friendster is better than ever and for the people," it says.