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Case file: a category that formed

Why did SixDegrees fail, and when did social networks become viable?

Formed since 2026-10-25 · ledger #61

Broadband and digital photos crossed around 2003; three social networks launched within two years.

Short answer

SixDegrees.com (1997) had the social graph first: profiles, friend lists and messaging. It was sold in 1999 and shut in 2001. Few people had broadband or digital photos, so there was little to share and slow pages to share it on. Friendster, MySpace and Facebook (2002-2004) arrived as US broadband passed 7-13 lines per 100 people.

Killing constraint
Broadband and digital photo upload
E2 Bandwidth / connectivity
Crossing
2003
US fixed broadband passes 9 lines per 100 people (World Bank); digital cameras go mainstream.
Who won
Facebook
founded 2004

A social network is mostly photos and frequent visits; on dial-up neither works.

The metric that moved

Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States (ITU via World Bank)

2001 4.5 per 100 → 2024 38.86 per 100 (8.6× better for the category)

Fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States (ITU via World Bank)02040199820032008201320182023SixDegrees shutsFacebook1998: 0.256 per 1001999: 0.987 per 1002000: 2.51 per 1002001: 4.5 per 1002002: 6.93 per 1002003: 9.57 per 1002004: 12.76 per 1002005: 17.3 per 1002006: 20.16 per 1002007: 23.76 per 1002008: 25.29 per 1002009: 25.97 per 1002010: 27.17 per 1002011: 28.12 per 1002012: 29.17 per 1002013: 30 per 1002014: 30.27 per 1002015: 31.34 per 1002016: 32.11 per 1002017: 32.57 per 1002018: 33.06 per 1002019: 33.84 per 1002020: 35.72 per 1002021: 37.01 per 1002022: 37.49 per 1002023: 38.09 per 1002024: 38.86 per 10038.86 per 100

Live series from World Bank Open Data, refreshed by the weekly job, last fetched 2026-10-26.

Data table
DateFixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, United States (ITU via World Bank)
202438.86 per 100
202338.09 per 100
202237.49 per 100
202137.01 per 100
202035.72 per 100
201933.84 per 100
201833.06 per 100
201732.57 per 100
201632.11 per 100
201531.34 per 100
201430.27 per 100
201330 per 100
201229.17 per 100
201128.12 per 100
201027.17 per 100
200925.97 per 100
200825.29 per 100
200723.76 per 100
200620.16 per 100
200517.3 per 100
200412.76 per 100
20039.57 per 100
20026.93 per 100
20014.5 per 100
20002.51 per 100
19990.987 per 100
19980.256 per 100

Graveyard

Companies that died proving people wanted this. Capital shown where it was disclosed.

CompanyYearsCapitalHow it diedSource
SixDegrees.com1997–2001—
exit price $125M (1999)		Sold to YouthStream Media for $125M in 1999; shut in 2001source M

Who won once the constraint crossed

  • Facebook (founded 2004) — launched at Harvard in February 2004 source

What changed, dated

  • MySpace launched in 2003 and grew past 100 million accounts; the enabler was in place before Facebook. source M

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