So long ICQ, the iconic ‘90s messaging platform that’s shutting after almost 30 years

At its peak in 2001, ICQ had 100 million registered users. — Image by freepik

In the early days of the Internet, before the rise of social media and mobile messaging apps, there was ICQ.

Launched in 1996, ICQ, which is a play on the phrase "I seek you," became one of the most popular ways to communicate online, with over 100 million registered users at its peak in 2001.