At the height of the social network's buzz in 2003, Google offered to buy Friendster for a hefty $30 million. Friendster's creator Jonathan Abrams declined, betting that the company could go much higher - and it did, for a very short time. But soon the open network Myspace ate the social media market whole, in no small part due to inaction at Friendster. Fast forward to 2008 and Facebook is booming, Myspace is drifting into obscurity, and Friendster is mostly used as a gaming platform in Indonesia. Fast forward to today and Facebook is the social network, Myspace is hanging on by a thread, and Friendster doesn't exist at all.
But what would happen if Google's bid were accepted? What could Friendster rise to with Google at the helm, and could this be enough competition for Myspace and later Facebook (if Facebook isn't butterflied away)? Could we see a polycentric social media world, or will one of them have to come out on top?
But what would happen if Google's bid were accepted? What could Friendster rise to with Google at the helm, and could this be enough competition for Myspace and later Facebook (if Facebook isn't butterflied away)? Could we see a polycentric social media world, or will one of them have to come out on top?