Google has begun drawing the blinds on Google+. The search engine first introduced its failed social network platform back in 2011, in the hopes of competing against the world’s other two most popular social network platforms, Facebook and Twitter, on even ground.
One of the reasons behind the shutdown of Google+ can be contributed to its “low usage”. In comparison to Facebook and Twitter. A major reason, though, would the security vulnerabilities that essentially leaked information of tens of millions of Google+ users. To add insult to injury, Google kept the leaks a secret for months, before eventually breaking the news to its users.
It wasn’t all a failure for Google+. Despite stiff competition, the platform played home to a small community of user throughout the years. According to The Verge, some users took to the service in order to have more topic-focused discussions. Often making conversations held in these discussions more substantial and constructive.
It’s a stark contrast to the noise and oft misleading statements on Facebook or Reddit, that would often at times devolve into noisy – if not incoherent – bickering from all parties.
Google says that the wind down won’t be immediate, and that the process of deleting all personal Google+ account will “take a few months”. However, the company says that content deletion, which includes videos and photos posted on the service’s archives, has already started. On that note, now would be a good time to make sure all your photos on the platform have been shifted to Google Photos.
(Source: The Verge)
