▁Friend ster ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁of ▁these ▁sites ▁to ▁att ain ▁over ▁ 1 ▁million ▁members , ▁although ▁it ▁was ▁preced ed ▁by ▁several ▁other ▁smaller ▁social ▁networking ▁sites ▁such ▁as ▁Six D eg rees . com ▁( 1 9 9 7 ) ▁and ▁Make out club ▁( 1 9 9 9 ). ▁ ▁The ▁name ▁Friend ster ▁is ▁a ▁port man te au ▁of ▁" friend " ▁and ▁Nap ster . ▁Nap ster ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁was ▁a ▁controvers ial ▁peer - to - pe er ▁file ▁sharing ▁Internet ▁service ▁that ▁was ▁launched ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ; ▁by ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁" N ap ster " ▁was ▁pract ically ▁a ▁household ▁name , ▁thanks ▁to ▁several ▁high - profile ▁law su its ▁file d ▁against ▁it ▁that ▁year . ▁The ▁original ▁Friend ster ▁site ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁Mountain ▁View , ▁California ▁and ▁was ▁priv ately ▁owned . ▁Friend ster ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁" Circ le ▁of ▁Fri ends " ▁social ▁network ▁technique ▁for ▁networking ▁individuals ▁in ▁virtual ▁communities ▁and ▁demonstr ates ▁the ▁small ▁world ▁phenomen on . ▁Friend ster ▁was ▁considered ▁the ▁top ▁online ▁social ▁network ▁service ▁until ▁around ▁April ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁when ▁it ▁was ▁over t aken ▁by ▁My Space ▁in ▁terms ▁of ▁page ▁views , ▁according ▁to ▁N iel sen // Net R at ings . ▁ ▁Publications ▁including ▁Time , ▁Es quire , ▁Van ity ▁Fair , ▁Entertainment ▁Week ly , ▁US ▁Week ly ▁and ▁Sp