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'''{{lang|ru-Latn|''VK''}}''' (Originally '''VKontakte''', {{lang-ru|ВКонтакте}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Vkontakte to launch vk.com site in 12 languages |url=http://www.eng.tatar-inform.ru/news/2009/09/08/26598/ |archiveurl= |work=Tatar-inform |publisher=Tatmedia |location=[[Kazan]] |date=8 September 2009 |accessdate=14 October 2009 }}</ref>) is a [[European]] [[social network service]] popular among Russian-speaking users around the world. It is especially popular in [[Russia]], [[Ukraine]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Moldova]], [[Belarus]], [[Israel]], [[USA]]. VK began very close in design and functionality to [[Facebook]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mashable.com/2007/07/11/10-facebook-clones|date=11 July 2007|newspaper=Mashable}}</ref> but has since developed a distinctive look and feel.<ref>See [http://facebook.com: Facebook.com] and [http://vk.com: Vk.com]</ref> VK has been able to hold off Facebook in its core countries,<ref name="Socialbakers Russia">{{cite web|title=Facebook penetration in Russia is 4.34% compared to the country's population and 10.12% in relation to number of Internet users.|url=http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/russia|publisher=Social Bakers|accessdate=14 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Socialbakers Ukraine">{{cite web|title=The total number of FB users in Ukraine is reaching 2 001 800 and declined by more than -70800 in the last 6 months.|url=http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/ukraine|publisher=SocialBakers|accessdate=14 September 2012}}</ref> despite the american network's efforts.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mackey|first=Robert|title=Facebook Tries to Blaze a Path in Russia|url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/facebook-tries-to-blaze-a-path-in-russia/|newspaper=NY Times|date=28 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Sweney|first=Mark|title=Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook 'almost guaranteed' to reach 1 billion users. Russia, Japan, China and Japan only remaining countries where Facebook not leading social network|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/23/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-cannes-lions|accessdate=14 September 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=23 June 2012}}</ref> Like other social networks, VK allows users to message contacts publicly or privately, create groups, public pages and events, share and tag images, audio and video, and play browser-based games.<ref>[http://www.statista.com/statistics/205549/social-gaming-revenue-forecast-in-russia/ Social Gaming Revenue in Russia: Statistics and Forecast], SuperData, 2011.</ref>
'''{{lang|ru-Latn|''VK''}}''' (Originally '''VKontakte''', {{lang-ru|ВКонтакте}}<ref>{{cite web |title=Vkontakte to launch vk.com site in 12 languages |url=http://www.eng.tatar-inform.ru/news/2009/09/08/26598/ |archiveurl= |work=Tatar-inform |publisher=Tatmedia |location=[[Kazan]] |date=8 September 2009 |accessdate=14 October 2009 }}</ref>) is a [[European]] [[social network service]] popular among Russian-speaking users around the world. It is especially popular in [[Russia]], [[Ukraine]], [[Kazakhstan]], [[Moldova]], [[Belarus]], [[Israel]], [[USA]]. VK began very close in design and functionality to [[Facebook]],<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mashable.com/2007/07/11/10-facebook-clones|date=11 July 2007|newspaper=Mashable}}</ref> but has since developed a distinctive look and feel.<ref>See [http://facebook.com: Facebook.com] and [http://vk.com: Vk.com]</ref> VK has been able to hold off Facebook in its core countries,<ref name="Socialbakers Russia">{{cite web|title=Facebook penetration in Russia is 4.34% compared to the country's population and 10.12% in relation to number of Internet users.|url=http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/russia|publisher=Social Bakers|accessdate=14 September 2012}}</ref><ref name="Socialbakers Ukraine">{{cite web|title=The total number of FB users in Ukraine is reaching 2 001 800 and declined by more than -70800 in the last 6 months.|url=http://www.socialbakers.com/facebook-statistics/ukraine|publisher=SocialBakers|accessdate=14 September 2012}}</ref> despite the american network's efforts.<ref>{{cite news|last=Mackey|first=Robert|title=Facebook Tries to Blaze a Path in Russia|url=http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/06/20/facebook-tries-to-blaze-a-path-in-russia/|newspaper=NY Times|date=28 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Sweney|first=Mark|title=Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook 'almost guaranteed' to reach 1 billion users. Russia, Japan, China and Japan only remaining countries where Facebook not leading social network|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/jun/23/mark-zuckerberg-facebook-cannes-lions|accessdate=14 September 2012|newspaper=The Guardian|date=23 June 2012}}</ref> Like other social networks, VK allows users to message contacts publicly or privately, create groups, public pages and events, share and tag images, audio and video, and play browser-based games.<ref>[http://www.statista.com/statistics/205549/social-gaming-revenue-forecast-in-russia/ Social Gaming Revenue in Russia: Statistics and Forecast], SuperData, 2011.</ref>


{{As of|September 2012}}, VK has at least 133 million accounts.<ref name="usercount">VK internal search: returning result of 71.2 males and 61.8 females, accessed 13 September 2012</ref> VK is ranked 34 in [[Alexa Internet|Alexa]]'s global Top 500 sites and is the second most visited website in [[Russia]].<ref name="alexa traffic">{{cite web|url=http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/vk.com|title=Vk.com Traffic details|publisher=[[Alexa Internet]]|accessdate= 2012-09-013 }}</ref> In September 2012 VK has an average of 37 million daily users.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveinternet.ru/stat/vkontakte.ru/index.html?period=month|publisher=Liveinternet|accessdate=14 September 2012}}</ref>
{{As of|September 2012}}, VK has at least 133 million accounts.<ref name="usercount">VK internal search: returning result of 71.2 males and 61.8 females, accessed 13 September 2012</ref> VK is ranked 34 in [[Alexa Internet|Alexa]]'s global Top 500 sites and is the second most visited website in [[Russia]].<ref name="alexa traffic">{{cite web|url=http://www.alexa.com/siteinfo/vk.com|title=Vk.com Traffic details|publisher=[[Alexa Internet]]|accessdate= 2012-09-013 }}</ref> In September 2012 VK has an average of 37 million daily users.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.liveinternet.ru/stat/vkontakte.ru/index.html?period=month|title=Site statistics for vkontakte.ru|publisher=Liveinternet|accessdate=14 September 2012}}</ref>


"{{lang|ru|В Контакте}}" ({{lang|ru-latn|''V Kontákte''}}) translates to English as "In Contact" or "In Touch".
"{{lang|ru|В Контакте}}" ({{lang|ru-latn|''V Kontákte''}}) translates to English as "In Contact" or "In Touch".

Revision as of 06:22, 14 September 2012

VK
Logo "VKontakte"
Type of site
Social networking service
Available in70 languages
OwnerDoraview Limited
Created byPavel Durov
URLvk.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationOpen to everyone with a cell phone
Users290 million
LaunchedSeptember 2006
Current statusOnline

[VK] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help) (Originally VKontakte, Russian: ВКонтакте[2]) is a European social network service popular among Russian-speaking users around the world. It is especially popular in Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Belarus, Israel, USA. VK began very close in design and functionality to Facebook,[3] but has since developed a distinctive look and feel.[4] VK has been able to hold off Facebook in its core countries,[5][6] despite the american network's efforts.[7][8] Like other social networks, VK allows users to message contacts publicly or privately, create groups, public pages and events, share and tag images, audio and video, and play browser-based games.[9]

As of September 2012, VK has at least 133 million accounts.[10] VK is ranked 34 in Alexa's global Top 500 sites and is the second most visited website in Russia.[11] In September 2012 VK has an average of 37 million daily users.[12]

"В Контакте" ([V Kontákte] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)) translates to English as "In Contact" or "In Touch".

History

Founder Pavel Durov launched VKontakte for beta testing in September 2006, having just graduated from St Petersburg State University. Next month the domain name vkontakte.ru was registered. User registration was initially limited to within university circles exclusively by invitation, but the site still grew quickly. In February 2007 the site reached a user base of over 100,000 and was recognized as the second largest player in Russia's nascent social network market. In the same month the site was subjected to a severe DDoS attack, which briefly put it offline. The user base reached 1 million in July 2007, and 10 million in April 2008. In December 2008 VK overtook rival Odnoklassniki as Russia's most popular social networking service.

On 6 October 2009 the site was launched in 20 other languages. In December 2009 the site had a user base of 50 million, and by November 2010 that number had risen to 100 million. On 11 February 2011 VK reverted to user registration by SMS-invitation only. Open registration has been resumed in spring 2011. Since then all new accounts have to be linked to a mobile phone and require activation via free text message. In February 2012 VK had a user base of over 150 million.

Company

"LLC V Kontakte" was incorporated on 19 January 2007 with shareholders Vyacheslav Mirilashvili (60%), Pavel Durov (20%), Mikhail Mirilashvili (10%), and Lev Leviyev (10%).[13]

The company is now completely owned by offshore firm Doraview Limited, based in the British Virgin Islands.[13] The full current ownership is not in the public domain, although Mail.ru Group (formerly Digital Sky Technologies) has publicly acknowledged a stake of 39.99%.[14]

The company is controlled by Pavel Durov, founder and CEO. On 29 May 2012 Mail.ru Group announced that it has decided to yield control of the company to Durov by offering him the voting rights on its shares. Combined with Durov's personal 12% stake, this gives him 52% of the votes.[15][16]

VK canceled their IPO plans, citing unsatisfactory market conditions after Facebook's IPO blunder.[16][17]

Website

Functionality

Pavel Durov, the founder of VKontakte.ru, on his 26th birthday, 10 October 2010.

The site's functionality includes personalized and public pages, easy access to friends' pages and news, photo and video hosting, a simple messaging system and chat system, groups that users can participate in, and notes. Because almost all of the information provided by users is subject to easy search, people are able to look for those from the same school or with similar interests, place of birth, etc. New features are added to the website from time to time, such as the ability to host audio files within groups and personal pages; upload video files; share text documents; and "Applications", which contain Flash API based games, tools, chat rooms, etc.

VK, like many other major social networks, uses the XMPP protocol as a basis for its chat and presence service.

Privacy

File:Vkontakte.ru main on apple ipad.JPG
Login page on an iPad

Users have the ability to control the availability of their content. Users can hide or reveal pictures, videos, and entire pages. Users can also choose who can invite them to join groups, write personal messages, write on their wall, and so forth.

Languages

In September 2009 VK launched vk.com and translated the site into twelve other languages in an effort to expand the site's user base beyond Russia and the former Soviet Union.[18] The site now has 67 languages available, including one novelty language dubbed "V Soyuze," which uses Soviet-era language and had a red interface branded with the Soviet hammer and sickle.

Controversy

DDOS attacks on other sites

VK performed DDOS attacks on certain sites, making user's browser send multiple requests to the target site without user's consent. Targets were Runet Prize voting page in 2008[19] and CAPTCHA-breaking service antigate.com in 2012[20][21].

Media content available to users is often claimed as illegal by most major labels.[22] Furthermore, with appropriate web-browser plug-in installed, one may download the file directly from the site. However, somehow administration of the service manages to keep this content free for its users.

Phishing

On July 30, 2009, the media reported that a text file, containing the data of 135,000 users, had spread across the Internet. Experts commented that the file contained passwords stolen from victims who had input their data at the phisher's website. Later, antivirus software company Kaspersky Lab said that the user list was collected by the Trojan Trojan.Win32.VkHost.an.[23][24]

Popularity

According to Alexa.com VK is one of the most visited websites in Russia and Ukraine. It holds the 2nd position in Russia[25] and Ukraine,[26] 6th in Belarus,[27] 10th in Kazakhstan,[28] 13th position in Moldova.[29] and 14th in Uzbekistan.[30]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Vk.com Site Info". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2012-08-02.
  2. ^ "Vkontakte to launch vk.com site in 12 languages". Tatar-inform. Kazan: Tatmedia. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 14 October 2009.
  3. ^ Mashable. 11 July 2007 http://mashable.com/2007/07/11/10-facebook-clones. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  4. ^ See Facebook.com and Vk.com
  5. ^ "Facebook penetration in Russia is 4.34% compared to the country's population and 10.12% in relation to number of Internet users". Social Bakers. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  6. ^ "The total number of FB users in Ukraine is reaching 2 001 800 and declined by more than -70800 in the last 6 months". SocialBakers. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  7. ^ Mackey, Robert (28 June 2008). "Facebook Tries to Blaze a Path in Russia". NY Times.
  8. ^ Sweney, Mark (23 June 2012). "Mark Zuckerberg: Facebook 'almost guaranteed' to reach 1 billion users. Russia, Japan, China and Japan only remaining countries where Facebook not leading social network". The Guardian. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  9. ^ Social Gaming Revenue in Russia: Statistics and Forecast, SuperData, 2011.
  10. ^ VK internal search: returning result of 71.2 males and 61.8 females, accessed 13 September 2012
  11. ^ "Vk.com Traffic details". Alexa Internet. Retrieved 2012-09-013. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  12. ^ "Site statistics for vkontakte.ru". Liveinternet. Retrieved 14 September 2012.
  13. ^ a b "Кто в контакте" (in Russian). Vedomosti. 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2011-04-16.
  14. ^ "Exercise of Option". Mail.ru Group. 2011-07-14. Retrieved 2011-07-29.
  15. ^ "Shareholder Mail.ru Group yields control to founder". ewdn.com. Retrieved 2012-05-30.
  16. ^ a b Bowker, John (29 May 2012). "Russia's VKontakte delays IPO after Facebook debacle". Moscow: Reuters. Retrieved 31 May 2012.
  17. ^ Lunden, Ingrid. "More FB IPO Fallout? Russia's Leading Social Network Vkontakte's IPO 'Postponed Indefinitely'". TechCrunch. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
  18. ^ Амзин, Александр (7 сентября 2009). "Не наши "В контакте"". Lenta.ru. Retrieved 2009-09-07. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ http://habrahabr.ru/post/43171
  20. ^ http://www.securitylab.ru/news/423743.php
  21. ^ http://habrahabr.ru/post/142836
  22. ^ "Recording company wins copyright case against Vkontakte social network". Retrieved 2012-04-24.
  23. ^ "Пароли к "ВКонтакте" оказались в общем доступе" (in Russian). WebPlaneta. 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  24. ^ "В открытый доступ попали тысячи логинов и паролей от аккаунтов сети "ВКонтакте"" (in Russian). WebPlaneta. 2009-07-30. Retrieved 2009-10-12.
  25. ^ "Alexa - top sites in Russia". Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  26. ^ "Alexa - top sites in Ukraine". Retrieved 2011-11-01.
  27. ^ "Alexa - top sites in Belarus". Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  28. ^ "Alexa - top sites in Kazakhstan". Retrieved 2012-02-16.
  29. ^ "Alexa - top sites in Moldova". Retrieved 2012-02-04.
  30. ^ "Alexa - top sites in Uzbekistan". Retrieved 2012-02-16.

Notes

ak:VKontakte

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