Netlog

{{Short description|Belgian social networking website}}

{{Infobox website

| url = http://www.netlog.com/

| name = Netlog

| logo = File:Netlog.svg

| launched = {{start date and age|1999}} (as ASL.TO)

| commercial = Yes

| type = Social networking service

| registration = Required

| owner = Massive Media

}}

Netlog (formerly known as Facebox and Bingbox) was a Belgian social networking service targeted at the global youth demographic. On Netlog, members could create their own web page, meet new people, chat, play games, share videos and post blogs.

The site was founded and launched in 1999 under the name ASL.TO in Ghent, Belgium, by Lorenz Bogaert and Toon Coppens. In 2002 the name of the website was changed into Redbox, a website targeted to the Belgian youth. Starting from 2005, it was available in other countries in and outside Europe.{{cite web|url=http://netlog.appappeal.com/|title=Business Software Reviews, SaaS & Cloud Applications Directory|website=GetApp|access-date=20 July 2018}} About one year later, the website was renamed ‘Netlog’.{{cite web|url=http://www.smallbizpod.co.uk/blog/2007/04/25/facebox-becomes-netlog-and-bags-5m-euros/|title=Facebox becomes Netlog and bags 5m euros|date=25 April 2007|access-date=20 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://gigaom.com/2007/04/25/419-facebox-gets-68-million-for-pan-european-social-net-rebrands-netlog/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140530045558/http://gigaom.com/2007/04/25/419-facebox-gets-68-million-for-pan-european-social-net-rebrands-netlog/|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 30, 2014|title=Facebox Gets $6.8 Million For Pan-European Social Net, Rebrands 'Netlog'|first=Robert|last=Andrews|date=25 April 2007|website=gigaom.com|access-date=20 July 2018}} By 2007, Netlog had attracted 28 million members and kept on growing the years after.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2008/04/05/europe-is-searching-for-its-silicon-valley/|title=Europe Is Searching For Its Silicon Valley|access-date=20 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2009/10/29/netlog-gets-a-major-makeover-now-growing-at-500000-users-a-week/|title=Netlog gets a major makeover, now growing at 500,000 users a week|access-date=20 July 2018}}{{cite news | title = How Netlog Leaps Language Barriers | work = The Wall Street Journal | date = November 1, 2007 | url = https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119387616952078433 | first=jb | last=Abboud}} At its height, the site claimed to have over 94 million registered users across 20+ languages.

In January 2011, Netlog announced that the site would become part of Massive Media,{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/01/14/netlog-creates-becomes-part-of-massive-media-expands-to-new-york-and-dubai-2/|title=Netlog creates, becomes part of Massive Media; expands to New York and Dubai|access-date=20 July 2018}} a global media group, focusing mainly on social media, and allowing product portfolio to expand into new markets. They also owned Twoo.com,{{cite web|url=http://www.sourcewire.com/news/72724/fast-growing-social-discovery-site-twoo-com-gets-serious-about#.VBbDeS5_t8Y|title=FAST GROWING SOCIAL DISCOVERY SITE TWOO.COM GETS SERIOUS ABOUT MOBILE|access-date=20 July 2018}} a free social discovery platform launched in 2011, and Stepout, an application for meeting new people nearby (relaunched in late 2013).{{cite web|url=http://www.onlinepersonalswatch.com/news/2013/09/stepout-is-now-part-of-twoo.html|title=StepOut Is Now Part Of Twoo|website=Online Personals Watch: News on the Online Dating Industry and Business|access-date=20 July 2018}} As of 2015, the homepage shows a sign it has been merged with Twoo. In July 2018 Netlog notified users that its security had been compromised in 2012 and logins and passwords of users were obtained by external agents. As of September 2018, Netlog's homepage informs that the website is no longer in service since 2015.