In the fast-paced world of social media, success is fleeting and failure is always one bad decision away. While giants like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok dominate the scene today, they weren't the only ones to try. Over the years, dozens of social networks have launched—some with huge fanfare—only to fade into digital oblivion.
Here are the top 5 most notable failed social networks, what they set out to do, and why they ultimately collapsed.
1. Google+
Launched: 2011
Shutdown: 2019
What Went Wrong:
Google+ was Google’s ambitious attempt to take on Facebook, integrating social features with Google’s existing ecosystem (Gmail, YouTube, Search). It featured "Circles" for grouping contacts and a clean interface—but it never truly caught on. The average user didn’t know why they should use Google+ over Facebook.
Its biggest failure? Lack of identity. It never became a place people went to share or engage—just a service people had because they had a Google account. A critical data breach in 2018 sealed its fate, leading to an expedited shutdown.
2. Myspace
Launched: 2003
Peak Users: 100+ million (mid-2000s)
Still exists? Yes, but barely relevant.
What Went Wrong:
Myspace was the social network before Facebook. It was a hub for music, personal blogs, and self-expression. You could customize your profile with HTML and embed music and backgrounds—a chaotic but charming era.
Unfortunately, poor management, cluttered UI, and the inability to evolve doomed it. Facebook’s cleaner design and real-name policy made it more appealing. Myspace was sold multiple times and now exists mostly as a music content site, a shadow of its former glory.
3. Friendster
Launched: 2002
Shutdown: 2015
What Went Wrong:
Friendster was one of the first social networks to gain traction globally. It was Facebook before Facebook—but it struggled with technical performance (slow loading times and glitches) and user engagement.
When Facebook launched in 2004, it offered a smoother experience and better scalability. Friendster pivoted to gaming in Asia in its later years but never recovered.
4. Orkut
Launched: 2004
Shutdown: 2014
What Went Wrong:
Owned by Google, Orkut was surprisingly popular in countries like Brazil and India. But it never caught on globally, and Google didn’t invest in evolving the platform. As Facebook expanded rapidly, Orkut stayed stagnant. Eventually, Google pulled the plug—choosing instead to push Google+ (which also failed).
Ironically, Google killed Orkut in favor of a platform that also didn’t work.
5. Vine
Launched: 2013
Shutdown: 2017
What Went Wrong:
Vine revolutionized short-form video content with its 6-second loops and launched the careers of many influencers. But behind the scenes, Twitter (which owned Vine) failed to monetize it effectively or adapt to rising competition like Instagram and Snapchat.
Creators jumped ship when monetization didn’t come, and Vine’s lack of evolution sealed its fate. TikTok would later capitalize on the short-form video craze—and do everything Vine didn’t.
Final Thoughts:
Social media history is littered with ambitious platforms that couldn’t adapt, innovate, or monetize effectively. While these networks had their moments of glory, they serve as a reminder that user loyalty is fragile, and digital relevance is fleeting.
If there's one lesson to learn: even the biggest tech companies can't force social media to work—it has to resonate with people first.
What do you think? Did you use any of these platforms? Let us know in the comments!