Has Microsoft Dabbled In Social?

Yes, Microsoft has made several attempts to enter the social networking space over the years. Here are some notable efforts:

Windows Live Spaces formerly MSN Spaces 2004 to 2011

Launched as MSN Spaces in December 2004 and later rebranded as Windows Live Spaces this was one of Microsoft's early attempts at social networking It allowed users to create blogs share photos and connect with friends Despite some initial success the platform struggled to compete with more popular social networks and was eventually shut down in March 2011 Microsoft partnered with Automattic to migrate users to WordPress.com

So.cl 2011 to 2017

Microsoft launched So.cl in December 2011 as a research project from the FUSE Labs division It was designed to combine social networking and search allowing users to share web pages and comment on them with friends The platform aimed to facilitate learning and collaboration among students However So.cl never gained significant traction and was quietly shut down in March 2017

Yammer 2012 to present

Microsoft acquired Yammer an enterprise social networking service in June 2012 for $1.2 billion Yammer allows employees within an organization to communicate and collaborate in a private social network Unlike Microsoft's previous attempts Yammer has been more successful especially in the enterprise space It continues to be integrated with Microsoft's suite of productivity tools including Microsoft 365

LinkedIn 2016 to present

In June 2016 Microsoft made a significant move in the social networking space by acquiring LinkedIn for $26.2 billion LinkedIn is the world's largest professional networking platform with over 700 million users The acquisition has allowed Microsoft to integrate LinkedIn with its enterprise products and services enhancing both platforms' capabilities

Mixer formerly Beam 2016 to 2020

Mixer initially launched as Beam in 2016 and rebranded in 2017 after being acquired by Microsoft was a live streaming service focused on video game streaming Mixer aimed to compete with Twitch by offering low-latency streaming and interactive features Despite some innovative features and a dedicated user base Mixer struggled to compete with larger platforms like Twitch and YouTube Gaming Microsoft shut down Mixer in July 2020 and partnered with Facebook Gaming to transition its streamers

While some of Microsoft's social networking endeavors like Windows Live Spaces and So.cl did not achieve long-term success the acquisition of LinkedIn and Yammer has strengthened Microsoft's position in the enterprise social networking space