Friendster was the first big social network — then it lost its users and its way

Friendster, founded in 2002 by Jonathan Abrams, was one of the first major social networking sites — a place to build a profile, connect with friends, and meet new people. It grew fast, reaching tens of millions of users, and for a moment it looked like the future of the social internet. Google reportedly offered to buy it for $30 million, and the founders turned it down.

But Friendster stumbled. The site was plagued by slow performance and technical problems as it scaled, frustrating users. Its management was slow to improve the product and, by some accounts, resisted features users wanted. As MySpace and then Facebook rose with faster, cleaner, more engaging products, Friendster's users left in droves.

Friendster tried to reinvent itself, eventually pivoting to a social gaming site focused on Southeast Asia, and was sold to MOL Global in 2009. The pioneer of social networking became a footnote, overtaken by the companies that came after it. Friendster became a cautionary tale about first-mover disadvantage: being first matters little if you don't keep building, and a head start is worthless if a faster, better product comes along.