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Former Googler who helped build Google+ says he has no idea why Google+ exists

Published Dec 2nd, 2014 2:45PM EST
Why Does Google Plus Exist

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It’s nearly 2015, and I’m still not sure any of us know exactly what we’re supposed to be doing with Google+. The increasingly invasive social network has been one of Google’s most puzzling platforms for years, surviving despite what seems to be a generally negative public reaction. But it turns out the users aren’t the only ones trying to figure out Google’s game plan.

FROM EARLIER: Whether you like it or not, Google+ is here to stay

Last week, former Google+ UX designer Chris Messina took to Medium to share a few thoughts on the social network which he’d worked on for years prior to leaving Google in 2013. He begins with three simple questions:

  1. What’s going on with Google+?
  2. Where is it headed?
  3. What the f*** is it for, anyway?

Messina wasn’t satisfied with the answers provided in the recent Re/code interview, slamming the Googler David Besbris for providing “no vision” and “no insight” into the future of the platform. So why does Messina still care?

“[The] future of digital identity should not be determined by one company (namely, Facebook). I still believe that competition in this space is better for consumers, for startups, and for the industry. And Google still remains one of the few companies (besides Apple, perhaps) that stands a chance to take on Facebook in this arena — but Google+, as I see it, has lost its way.”

Be sure to check out Messina’s full blog post in the source link below.

Jacob Siegal
Jacob Siegal Associate Editor

Jacob Siegal is Associate Editor at BGR, having joined the news team in 2013. He has over a decade of professional writing and editing experience, and helps to lead our technology and entertainment product launch and movie release coverage.