friendster vs facebook: is it even a battle?

Quick survey. How many of you have Facebook account? How many still have Friendster account? Looks like Friendster is slowly losing its luster and playing a losing battle against Facebook. I still have accounts at both sites but I find myself more and more drawn to Facebook.

Drawn, in this writer’s context, means spending more than 10 minutes in one site. It used to be that Friendster is my social networking platform of choice. I know, Friendster is so 90’s so why am I still there. Maybe being one of the early adopters of social networking phenomenon, Friendster has kept up with its promise of creating better communication between friends. Real friends and not just a name that you add on your list even though the person is a complete stranger.

I also like the level of privacy that Friendster used to provide. Only real friends can see an update. After all, they are the only ones who really care if you had coffee this morning instead of juice and not just some anonymous “extended friend.” The friend testimonial was also a big draw for it’s reminiscent of a modern day love letter. Real friends write meaningful testimonials and real friends read those testimonials with gusto. Sad that now testimonial has been reduced to just a one-liner comment like – “Cool!” or worse, “Hehe..” What does that even mean?


Last I heard, Friendster is still No. 1 in Asia but this may not be for long. I might be wrong but I notice Friendster is becoming more and more like Facebook. Its interface, features and overall feel is like Facebook – in its infant stages. If this is the case, then I’d rather stick to Facebook, right?

Let me know your thoughts. Post a comment.