3 weeks ago
MySpace owners tease nostalgic relaunch in new documentary
Imagine a very old playground that everyone used to play on a long time ago.
That playground is called MySpace, and it was one of the first big places where people met friends on the internet.
When it was most popular, more than a hundred million people visited it every month.
Then a new playground called Facebook came along, and most kids went there instead.
The people who own the old playground now say they want to open it again someday.
They are not sure exactly when it will be ready, though.
Lots of other apps like Instagram and TikTok are very popular today.
Some adults worry that these apps make people spend too much time on their phones.
The owners hope people might like a calmer, older-style place to hang out.
So MySpace might come back, but it has to do well this time or it could close again like it did before.
Tim and Chris Vanderhook, who own MySpace, said in a documentary that they plan to relaunch the platform but gave no timeline.
The relaunch would follow a failed 2013 attempt during which the brothers said they lost over $150 million.
Founded in 2003 by Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe, MySpace was the most-used social network from 2005 to 2008.
In 2006, MySpace surpassed Google as the most visited website in the US, per a BBC report.
By 2008, the platform had more than 115 million monthly visitors before Facebook overtook it.
- Who
- Tim and Chris Vanderhook, co-founders of Viant Technology and current owners of MySpace
- What
- Announced plans to relaunch MySpace, the once-dominant social network, without giving a specific timeline
- Where
- Relaunch location was not specified; MySpace's peak usage was in the US, where it was the most visited site in 2006
- When
- Revealed in a recently released documentary; no launch date was announced
- Why
- To capitalize on nostalgia for early, less algorithm-driven social media after a failed 2013 attempt
Key facts
- Platform
- MySpace
- Current owners
- Tim and Chris Vanderhook (co-founders of Viant Technology)
- Founders
- Tom Anderson and Chris DeWolfe (2003)
- Peak period
- 2005–2008
- Peak visitors
- Over 115 million monthly visitors by 2008
- 2006 milestone
- Surpassed Google as the most visited site in the US
- Reported losses
- Over $150 million
- Previous relaunch attempt
- 2013 (failed)
Quotes
Tim and Chris Vanderhook
Co-founders of Viant Technology and current owners of MySpace
“We still own MySpace. We are stewards of the MySpace brand at this point, and we are going to relaunch MySpace. We’re just waiting for the right time to do it. And if that one doesn’t work, we’ll do it again.”
indianexpress.com






