Based on my research, here's what the new owner, Mike Carson, is doing with Friendster: ## The New Friendster Vision Mike Carson acquired the Friendster domain for $30,000 in 2023 and has relaunched it as a privacy-focused, minimalist social network designed to counter modern social media problems. ## Key Features & Philosophy **Core Concept**: A social network for "real friends in real life" - no follower graphs, no suggested strangers, no algorithmic manipulation. **How It Works**: - **In-person friend linking**: Users add friends by physically tapping phones together (NFC-based) - **Private networks**: Only connects with people you actually know - **No ads**: Completely ad-free platform - **No algorithms**: Chronological feed without manipulation - **Simple messaging**: 1:1 and group messaging features ## Business Model & Technology Carson is building this as a sustainable, ethical alternative to mainstream social media. The app is available on iOS (6.5MB size) and emphasizes: - Privacy-first approach - User data protection (no selling of data) - Minimalist design - Focus on genuine connections ## Background Mike Carson is a serial entrepreneur who previously founded and sold Park.io (a domain backordering service) for approximately $1M/year. He's also working on Spaces Protocol, a decentralized naming system. His motivation stems from frustration with current social media models and a desire to return to Friendster's original mission of connecting real friends. ## Current Status The new Friendster launched in late 2023/early 2024 and gained some attention during Meta app outages as an alternative. It's essentially a complete rebuild from the ground up - Friendster Labs Inc. has no relation to the original Friendster's historical data. **Note**: The platform is still in early stages with limited user reviews/ratings, suggesting it's a small but growing project focused on quality over scale.