Google+ is Gone

After a long and meaningful run, Google+ has officially shut down. Thank you to everyone who shared, connected, and posted over the years.

Main Reason for Shutdown

Google+ shut down primarily due to low user engagement (90% of sessions under 5 seconds) and two significant data breaches that exposed user data, forcing Google to accelerate the shutdown from August 2019 to April 2019 to protect users. Despite being linked to other Google services, it failed to compete with Facebook, struggled with a confusing user experience (like "Circles"), and couldn't find a compelling niche, ultimately becoming a security liability and a business failure.

Key Reasons for Shutdown

• Low Usage: Most sessions were accidental clicks lasting only a few seconds, according to Appleton Creative and New Atlas.
• Data Breaches: A March 2018 bug potentially exposed profile data for up to 500,000 users, and a second breach in late 2018 affected 52.5 million users, notes CNN and CNBC.
• Failed Competition: Couldn’t attract users away from Facebook and Twitter, failing to meet consumer expectations or find a distinct purpose (BBC, Failory).
• Confusing Features & Bad PR: Mandatory account linking for YouTube and confusing interface elements (like "Plus One") created a poor user experience (YouTube, BBC).

In essence, Google+ was a product Google couldn't make successful, and security issues provided the final push to shut it down for consumers in April 2019 (Verge, Guardian).

Explore other Google services here.