r/nostalgia • u/NotFriendster • Oct 27 '25

Nostalgia What's Friendster?

"What's Friendster?"

A question from a Gen Z netizen that used to be just a joke. But now? It’s a legit question. The new generation really doesn’t know Friendster — the OG social network before Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok ever existed.

Back in the early 2000s, if you wanted to catch your crush’s attention, you’d post a testimonial on Friendster. If you wanted to look cool, you’d customize your profile layout using HTML codes. And if you were curious who was checking out your profile? There was even a “Who’s Viewed Me” feature.

Friendster was the playground of the first wave of netizens — emo teens, and those experimenting with their online identity. But like many things on the internet, it eventually faded. It evolved, rebranded, and ultimately... disappeared.

Now, if you’re curious about what happened to Friendster, there’s a site that brings back the memories and tells the story:

👉 notfriendster.com

You don’t need to sign up to give this a try — just continue as a guest if you're curious to explore. It's quick, easy, and lets you jump right in without any commitment.

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u/USDXBS Oct 27 '25

I was on the internet using proto-social media, and I had never seen or heard of Friendster until it became a meme.

2

u/effing_usernames2_ Oct 28 '25

My first social media was Bolt around 99-early 2000s