It was killed I think because it was a “distraction”. Can’t have two social networks at the same time, unlike messaging services and plenty of other Google products, apparently.

I don’t think it was ever staffed heavily (and that long piece on the product released earlier this year will attest to that) but if Google was going to go “all-in” on social, then to some leaders, everything else that might seem like a half-measure had to die.

It’s why it was killed despite what felt like half the company being willing to volunteer to keep it running.

Old Google would’ve let it live and let folks in their 20% time keep it running.