Back in 2010, Shawn Fanning and Dave Morin (a former Facebook executive) launched Path, a social networking, photo-sharing, and messaging app designed to let users share updates with just 50 people.

When I first tried it, two thoughts struck me:

1. How well-designed it was.
2. How much it would struggle to gain traction in a world dominated by Facebook and its network effect.

Regarding the second point, I couldn’t see how Path could attract enough users when Facebook was “free”, “everyone” was already on it, and there seemed to be little reason not to use it.

Path’s proposition - offering limited connections and encouraging deeper sharing - felt at odds with the social media narrative people had bought into with Facebook: connect with everyone and consume as much as possible.

To convince people to leave one solution for another, there needs to be a significant push away from the old and a compelling pull toward the new. Rarely does a pull alone suffice.

For most people, 2010 Facebook has it’s issues, but it was good enough at meeting what they believed to be their social networking needs. Without significant pain points to drive a search for alternatives, Path had little chance of scaling.

What If Path Launched Today?

Fast forward to 2025, and I can’t help but wonder how popular Path might be if it launched now.

A well-designed app, private and secure, focused on meaningful interactions with a small circle of trusted people, feels increasingly relevant.

Social media today has evolved into a firehose of algorithmically curated content, designed not just to inform but to provoke. Feeds are tailored to elicit responses - whether through delight or outrage - and the result can feel overwhelming.

In contrast, a platform that simply shows what your close friends and family are sharing seems more appealing.

I know a growing number of people who have left services like Facebook, citing the sheer noise and emotional exhaustion of their experiences.

With Meta’s recent announcement that it’s leaning into “freedom of speech” and scaling back on moderation, it’s likely even more users will find their feeds chaotic and draining in the near future. For these individuals, the appeal of a quieter, more intentional alternative - a new “path,” if you will - might be stronger than ever.