If you grew up in the ’90s, chances are that you have used a Yahoo account at some point. The 2000s saw the rise of Yahoo as a big shot with several well-run communities and networks. Since then though, its popularity has dwindled thanks to stiff competition from social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
However, Yahoo recently released a notice in early October stating that it is closing down the Yahoo Groups website. A popular website back in the day, Groups presented a mix of community forums and mailing lists that people don’t use now. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about the notice, and its impact.
End of an Era
The notice said that users could add new content up to Oct. 28. Following this, on Dec.14, all content will be wiped for good. Therefore, the company has given users time till 14th to back-up their data, and save what they have uploaded. Everything from files, photos, links and polls to attachments will be cleared off the site.
What will remain is the option for users to communicate with their group members through email. However, the website will continue to live but all groups will be private and admins will only have access to limited settings and functions. Yahoo did not clarify why Groups was shutting down. Groups had always been an extension of real-life communities, helping to bring people together across various common interests and friends. The notice also has a link explaining how to save user data. But before that, what exactly was Yahoo Groups?
History of Yahoo Groups
Launched in 2001, Yahoo Groups came when the dotcom boom was at its peak and during its heyday had millions of users. The online discussion portal faced severe competition from the rise of social media sites such as Facebook and Reddit. As people switched to other such platforms, Groups fell behind and was left with a few loyalists. So much so that, several groups on the website have not been upgraded in years! While certain forums on the website are new, it does not provide the kind of interface that Facebook or Instagram does, and hence struggled to retain users.
Rise of Yahoo Groups
Yahoo Groups was once a very popular forum which helped people with common interests connect for almost two decades. At the height of its popularity, that is during 2010, Yahoo Groups boasted of over 115 million active users. To help people build and maintain virtual relationships, the website had over 10 million groups.
Due to a large number of users, Yahoo had enough power to make over 100 carriers and mobile manufacturers pre-install their apps on new devices. To keep Facebook at bay, Yahoo promoted new and unique features such as subgroups, and private chats. But despite their best efforts, Yahoo was fighting a losing battle. With Instagram exploding around that time, users quickly migrated to rival platforms. Hence, it is safe to the say that the shutdown as imminent, being a long time coming!
How to Save Files
To save their data, Yahoo users can download it from their Privacy Dashboard. The notice also links to a Yahoo web-page that explains how to download your data and save it. However, the process is quite cumbersome as you have to individually download each file or photo. Users also have the option of requesting a complete download to the company. This request will take up to 30 days to process, and the download will be available only after that. Afterwards, the group will have only basic communication features. Functions such as attaching photos, polls, links and calendar will be lost forever.
Takeover and Promises
Verizon acquired Yahoo in 2017 in a deal that was worth $4.48 billion and created Verizon Media. Verizon Media too failed to compete against Google and Facebook and is being forced to cut their budget and staff. Strangely enough, the notice regarding Yahoo Groups went away quietly, only being mentioned in small support documents. However, as a sign of good faith, Jason Scott from The Internet Archive has promised to save as much content as possible. So maybe it might not all be lost forever.
Yahoo had previously removed their application GeoCities, taking with it 7 million websites. Digital archivists tried then as well to save whatever they could. Also, before that, they had winded up their Maps site in 2015, and their messenger last year! Sadly, each shut down such as this leads to the erasing of internet history, making it a pivotal moment. While many of you might not have used it in its full capacity, you might have been part of a fan club or movie club. Make sure you do visit one last time before Yahoo effectively erases that part of your childhood.
Being a cinephile with a love for all things outdoorsy, Athulya never misses a chance to chase inspiring stories or poke fun at things, even when the subject is herself. Currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, she is someone innately interested in technical and scientific research. Music reviews and op-eds define her as they allow her to explore different perspectives. Though sometimes she thinks she makes more sense playing the guitar than she does while writing.