Google+ Invite Shutdown: Google Social Network Curbs Sign Ups Due To 'Insane Demand'

If you were among the lucky people given a Google+ invite, treasure it. Though users were previously allowed to invite friends to try out Google's new social network, the search giant has since removed this option.

"We've shut down invite mechanism for the night. Insane demand. We need to do this carefully, and in a controlled way," said Vic Gundotra, Google's head of social. He announced the shutdown on (ironically) his Google+ profile late Wednesday night.

Google+ launched Tuesday to a small group of users and the service was initially invitation only, with users "tapped" by Google to be among the first given just 15 invitations to hand out to others in their social circle. But then users were given the ability to invite anyone Wednesday night, resulting in a high volume of new users.

If you weren't one of the lucky people to gain access, you'll have to wait until the next rollout.

As Venture Beat points out, the demand for Google+ may signal a big victory for the company, whose previous social endeavors have been ignored or chastised. On the other hand, bids for an invitation for the now-defunct Google Wave reached $5,000 on eBay before the item was removed.

It appears that even those who received invites aren't guaranteed access. As usual, people have taken to Twitter to express their frustration.

"Apparently I took to long to use my invite to Google+ and they've rescinded it. Burned!" said Jessica Valenti.

Tech Crunch posted a tutorial for hacking the Google+ invite mechanism.

Comments

[3dDatabase]

05:30 PM on 07/27/2011

I have real Google + invites to give out. No scams, No Drama, all free.
I was lucky enough to have gotten one and now I want to share it with everyone that I can.
Google + site is not giving these out right now and the only way to get one is to be invited by another.
If you are looking for an invite, stop by and drop a line or send me an email.

http://x.co/YVme

Cheers

[General Public]

08:11 PM on 07/01/2011

Eh, my favorite social networking site is still huffingtonpost.com. You get to read news articles and comment on them, "fan" other users, and if they "fan" you back, you are "friends". So basically it's like other social networking sites except much better because it has actual news on it instead of just a bunch of pointless silliness.

[cookerman45]

02:19 AM on 07/02/2011

your joking.....right?

[binarystar]

03:50 PM on 07/01/2011

I see google is still playing this invite game. they're kind of a one trick pony when it comes to creating a "buzz" for their products.

[Ramon Moreno]

09:45 PM on 07/01/2011

It Just Works.

[binarystar]

12:53 PM on 07/03/2011

yeah that's why i'm using google wave and google buzz for all my communication needs.

[uncc49er]

12:14 PM on 07/01/2011

yea, I got it in like 2 hours, tested the service and walked away.

[kaylun]

09:05 AM on 07/01/2011

Thats what I want to do. Tell our corrupt government every thing about myself via the social networks they setup.

[Namvet6871]

08:53 AM on 07/01/2011

Who cares social networks are for unsocialable people! Did I spell that correct? LOL

[Ramon Moreno]

09:48 PM on 07/01/2011

And spellcheck is for you. Dismissed.

[liephman88]

07:37 AM on 07/01/2011

I want to start an Anti- social network! called "FU.COM" you know a place you can chat with your ex or your boss.

[Sourav Kundu]

07:37 AM on 07/01/2011

Giving Away Free Google+ invites till it lasts..Look into the blog http://crack-o-holic.blogspot.com/ for details !!

[lisamary6]

07:24 AM on 07/01/2011

Google has targets Facebook with new social service chk how to use it but i thnk its too late .... http://bit.ly/k6i6Fb

[lisamary6]

07:21 AM on 07/01/2011

em waiting for Google+....

[mkn84]

03:01 AM on 07/01/2011

Go Google! Screw Twitfacebook

[Rob So Cal]

01:38 AM on 07/01/2011

Sounds like a publicity stunt if you ask me. "Oh, even know we are GOOGLE, our network can't handle all the traffic..." Yeah, okay, right.

[wilray]

06:21 AM on 07/01/2011

You misunderstand; it wasn't that the network couldn't handle all the traffic. They just didn't want that many users.

[BestRepublican]

10:58 PM on 06/30/2011

His request approved, the CNN News photographer quickly used a cell phone to call the local airport to charter a flight.

He was told a twin-engine plane would be waiting for him at the airport.

Arriving at the airfield, he spotted a plane warming up outside a hanger.

He jumped in with his bag, slammed the door shut, and shouted, 'Let's go'.
The pilot taxied out, swung the plane into the wind and took off.
Once in the air, the photographer instructed the pilot, 'Fly over the valley and make low passes so I can take pictures of the fires on the hillsides.'
'Why?' asked the pilot.
'Because I'm a photographer for CNN, he responded, 'and I need to get some close up shots.'
The pilot was strangely silent for a moment, finally he stammered, 'So, what you're telling me, is ... You're NOT my flight instructor?'

[tolchocks]

12:34 AM on 07/01/2011

Am I to gather from this that you were the Pilot/Student aviator?

Because I'm betting that you, as the "best" republican are prone to do as told,hop when you hear frog and relate apocryphal anecdotes about your enemies(both real and imagined) at the drop of a hat.

[JimOKC]

02:21 AM on 07/01/2011

If you are going to attempt to sound cerebral and pontificate in a pseudo-sophisticated overly-multisyllabic post, you might want to check your GRAMMAR before hitting the "Post Comment" button. "as the 'best' republican ARE" indeed! LOL.

Another urbanbilly indoctrinated by an inferior inner-city leftist school system. You people can't even ACT sophisticated.

[gracecfl]

07:09 AM on 07/01/2011

Yup you are definitely a Republican. This story is about Google's new social network, and you are talking about something nothing to do with it. Typical. Change the subject to get people's mind off of the real thing....

[mangafreak2128]

10:08 PM on 06/30/2011

+1 for Google's domination of the internet.

[JimOKC]

02:23 AM on 07/01/2011

I say we all go back to the original social network: "10-4 good buddy!" LOL.

[bbark7]

09:12 PM on 06/30/2011

Used to be social networking meant getting together with a few friends at a favored hang out. No piece of software is ever going to beat that.

[dwalexander31]

11:29 PM on 06/30/2011

you are so right and we will miss this simple but real time to bond with friends