Google’s taking another crack at building a social network

guest · Jul 11, 2019

Google’s taking another crack at building a social network
July 11, 2019
https://thenextweb.com/apps/2019/07/11/googles-taking-another-crack-at-building-a-social-network/

After shutting down failed Google+ in April, the big G is giving this social network thing another go. It’s currently trialing Shoelace, a hyperlocal network for people who want to find others to join them in activities like sports and attending shows.

It’s currently invite-only, and promises to help you “connect with others who have the same interests.”. You can create a listing for an event or activity you’re participating in, and invite friends and strangers to join you. In addition, Shoelace will surface events that you might be into.

From our own coverage of that app, it looks like that was one of the first breakout projects by Google employees who wanted to try out ideas that weren’t part of the company’s mainstream products.
Shoelace runs on Android and iOS, and is currently available only in New York City.
You can’t yet sign up for an invite, so we’ll have to wait and see how Google opens this up to more people.
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zapjb · Jul 11, 2019

I'm usually not for Google expanding, these days. But compared to the onerous alternative a blank slate such as shoelace looks good.

guest · Apr 28, 2020

Google shutting down Area 120’s hyperlocal social network Shoelace on May 12
April 28, 2020
https://9to5google.com/2020/04/28/shoelace-area-120-shutdown/

In July 2019, Google’s experimental project incubator Area 120 launched a new local meetup app that would connect users in New York City. Shoelace began as an invite-only beta for iOS and Android, allowing users to plan and attend various activities around town, and potentially make new friends in the process.

Unfortunately, as meetups became a thing of the past, Shoelace was forced to hit pause on its operations. Now, an email sent out this morning announces that the project will be shutting down completely.
Around noon today, an email was dispatched to all Shoelace users with the subject line, “An update on Shoelace by Area 120.” In it, the team announces that all Shoelace data will be erased on May 12.

In light of the current pandemic, they note, “While we’re very proud of what we have built and learned, the team has decided that now doesn’t feel like the right time to continue investing in this project.”
Click to expand...

The official FAQ gives more information on what you can expect.
If you’re an active user, you can access your account up until the deprecation date, and a request to download your account data can be made through this Google form.
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