More than a decade after shutting down, social networking platform Friendster has made a comeback with a newly relaunched mobile app, aiming to reshape how people connect online and offline.
Reintroduced in April, the updated version retains basic social media functions, allowing users to share photos, profiles, and personal interests within their existing circle of friends. However, the platform takes a different approach from mainstream social networks.
The new Friendster 2.0 promises a simplified experience with “no ads, no algorithms, no spam” and claims that it does not collect or share user data, positioning itself as a privacy-focused alternative in the social media space.
According to new owner and entrepreneur Mike Carson, the app is designed to encourage real-world connections rather than online discovery. Unlike other platforms, it does not suggest strangers or recommended profiles for users to follow.
Currently available for free on iOS, the app requires users to physically connect by tapping their phones together. A check by The Straits Times found that users can also connect when they are within close range with the app open on their devices.
The company confirmed that the new platform has no access to data from the original Friendster service, and users of the earlier version will not be able to recover their old accounts.
In a blog post on Medium dated April 27, Carson said he acquired Friendster’s expired domain and trademarks between 2023 and 2025 before rebuilding it as a social network focused on promoting offline interactions and real-life friendships.
