ICQ, the innovative instant messaging system, created way back in 1996 by Mirabilis, an Israeli start-up founded in Tel Aviv, will officially close on June 26th. The announcement was made on the official ICQ website, which recommended VK (the Russian group former Mail.Ru Group which purchased it) as an alternative platform, which today has more than 210 million users.
Born in the late 1990s, ICQ (aka “I seek you”) quickly gained popularity by offering a more user-friendly alternative to IRC text-based chatrooms. With its unique system of sequential account numbers, ICQ has added an element of exclusivity for first-time users. At its peak, the pioneering messaging system boasted well over 100 million registered accounts.
The advent of MSN Messenger and Yahoo Messenger inevitably marked its decline with an epilogue on June 26, 2024.
For further details and to discover the suggested alternatives, visit the official ICQ website.
