Social Networks 2002 vs 2012 vs 2022 2002 - Friendster was one of the original social networking sites launched, popular in Southeast Asia. 2012 - Facebook launched in 2004 and by 2012 had over 845 million active users. The site allowed users to connect with friends and share updates and media. 2022 - While Facebook will likely still be dominant, some sites like MyCommunitE.com are trying to change social networking to a more local, proximity-based experience focused on neighborhoods rather than relationships. It remains to be seen if people will embrace this neighborhood-centric approach.