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ICQ

From Alfawiki
ICQ
Company typeSoftware
IndustryInstant messaging, VoIP
PredecessorMirabilis
FoundedJune 1996; 30 years ago (1996-06)
FounderYair Goldfinger, Sefi Vigiser, Amnon Amir, Arik Vardi, Yossi Vardi
FateCeased operations on June 26, 2024
Headquarters
Israel (original), later Russia (Mail.Ru Group)
Area served
Worldwide
Key people
Ariel Yarnitsky, Avi Shechter, Orey Gilliam, Eliav Moshe
ProductsInstant messaging and VoIP client software
OwnerMirabilis (original), AOL (1998–2010), Mail.Ru Group / VK (2010–2024)
ParentMail.Ru Group (from 2010)
Websiteicq.com

ICQ was an instant messaging (IM) and VoIP client available across multiple platforms, established in June 1996 by Yair Goldfinger, Sefi Vigiser, Amnon Amir, Arik Vardi, and Yossi Vardi. The name "ICQ" is a play on the phrase "I Seek You". Initially created by the Israeli firm Mirabilis, it was purchased by AOL in 1998 and subsequently acquired by Mail.Ru Group (currently VK) in 2010.

The ICQ software debuted in November 1996 as a free application. Its expansion was largely driven by organic word-of-mouth promotion rather than conventional advertising strategies. ICQ was a pioneer in establishing a centralized IM service model featuring unique user accounts centered on direct one-on-one communication, setting a precedent for later platforms such as AIM and contemporary social networking applications. It became the first instant messaging service to achieve widespread adoption.

At its height around 2001, ICQ boasted over 100 million registered users. By the time Mail.Ru acquired the platform in 2010, daily active users numbered close to 42 million. In 2022, the monthly active user base was approximately 11 million.

The platform officially ceased operations on June 26, 2024, following an earlier announcement that year.

Features of ICQ New

The 2020 iteration, known as "ICQ New," introduced a variety of messaging capabilities:

  • Private conversations with cloud-based history synchronization, enabling message deletion accompanied by notifications.
  • A personal chat function designed for saving messages or uploading files serving as cloud storage.
  • Group chats accommodating up to 25,000 participants, featuring privacy controls such as concealing phone numbers and read receipts; users could also mute individual members.
  • Audio and video calls supporting up to five participants simultaneously.
  • Voice messages with automatic transcription into text format.
  • Channels allowing content creators to publish posts with multimedia attachments while notifying subscribers; authors had the option to remain anonymous.
  • Polling features within group chats.
  • An API-bot facilitating the development of interactive bots for user engagement.
  • "Stickers" available from a curated collection or user uploads, enhanced with machine learning algorithms recommending suitable options.
  • Real-time "Masks" applied during video calls or on photographs.
  • Use of Nicknames as alternatives to phone numbers for searching and connecting with users.
  • "Smart answers" offering quick reply suggestions based on conversational context analysis.

UIN

Users on ICQ were assigned sequential User Identification Numbers (UINs), beginning at 100,000, issued upon registration by Mirabilis. Starting from ICQ6, login via registered e-mail addresses became possible. The UIN served as the permanent identifier for each user, although personal details such as screen names and email addresses could be updated without re-registering. Since the year 2000, contacts could be added directly between ICQ and AIM users without third-party software. To prevent UIN theft or unauthorized sales, ICQ retained records of previously linked email addresses, enabling recovery of compromised UINs when a valid primary email was provided.

History

Founded in June 1996 by five Israeli developers—Yair Goldfinger, Sefi Vigiser, Amnon Amir, Arik Vardi, and Yossi Vardi—Mirabilis developed ICQ as one of the earliest widely embraced text-based instant messaging platforms.

Mirabilis offered ICQ’s technology free of charge, which attracted AOL’s interest; AOL acquired Mirabilis on June 8, 1998, paying $287 million upfront plus up to $120 million contingent on performance milestones over three years. AOL secured patents for this technology in 2002.

Following the acquisition, Ariel Yarnitsky and Avi Shechter initially managed ICQ. In late 2003, Orey Gilliam assumed the role of CEO and oversaw AOL’s messaging division starting in 2007. Under his leadership, ICQ returned to profitability and became one of AOL’s most lucrative units. Eliav Moshe succeeded Gilliam as managing director in 2009.

In April 2010, AOL divested ICQ to Digital Sky Technologies (DST), headed by Alisher Usmanov, for $187.5 million. Although overtaken by rivals such as AOL Instant Messenger and Google Talk across many regions, ICQ maintained strong popularity within Russian-speaking markets. DST rebranded itself as Mail.Ru Group in September 2010 and invested significantly in shifting ICQ towards mobile platforms. By 2013, approximately half of ICQ’s user base accessed the service via mobile applications; user numbers began growing again in 2014.

In March 2016, Mail.Ru Group made ICQ’s client source code publicly available under the Apache license on GitHub.

The company introduced "ICQ New" in April 2020 with an emphasis on enhancing group communication features. Early in 2021, ICQ saw a dramatic increase in downloads—rising thirty-five times—in Hong Kong following privacy concerns related to WhatsApp’s updated policies.

On May 24, 2024, ICQ declared it would discontinue its service on June 26, 2024, advising users to transition to VK Messenger and VK WorkSpace.

Evolution Timeline

  • The initial widely distributed editions were ICQ 99a/b.
  • With ICQ 2000, the platform introduced Notes and Reminder functionalities.
  • ICQ 2001 brought in server-hosted contact list storage, allowing users to synchronize their contacts across multiple devices and requiring approval before adding new contacts.
  • In 2002, AOL Time Warner revealed that ICQ had been granted a U.S. patent for instant messaging technology.
  • ICQ 2002 marked the final release free from advertising.
  • The protocol version 10 was first implemented in ICQ Pro 2003b, whereas previous versions operated on protocols 7 through 9.
  • ICQ 4 and ICQ 5 (launched on February 7, 2005) enhanced ICQ Lite by incorporating Xtraz—games and features aimed at a younger demographic. ICQ Lite served as a streamlined client optimized for less powerful computers.
  • Support for skins was introduced with ICQ 5, offering a few official themes alongside numerous community-created options.
  • Released on April 17, 2007, ICQ 6 showcased a revamped user interface built on the Boxely engine (also utilized by AIM Triton), enabling instant messaging directly from the contact list. AOL mandated upgrades from version 5.1 to version 6, disabling older clients. Certain capabilities, such as multi-file transfers, were removed. A network update in July 2008 required third-party software to identify itself as ICQ 6 or cease functioning.
  • On January 18, 2010, ICQ 7.0 debuted with integration to Facebook and other platforms, along with customizable personal statuses similar to those in Windows Live Messenger. Nevertheless, it did not support traditional Chinese, which limited its popularity in regions like Hong Kong and Taiwan.
  • The release of ICQ 8 on February 5, 2012 emphasized free video calling, messaging, SMS services, and social network connectivity as part of its modernization efforts.
  • ICQ 10.0, launched January 18, 2016, received its last update (Build 46867) on May 27, 2022.

Stance on Unauthorized Clients

AOL, later under Mail.ru’s management, adopted a stringent approach toward non-official ("unauthorized") ICQ clients:

  • Server modifications in July 2008 rendered many unofficial clients inoperative; affected users were notified by messages from "ICQ System."
  • On December 9, 2008, clients with Client IDs older than ICQ version 5.1 were blocked from connecting.
  • By December 29, 2008, ICQ’s press office publicly described alternative clients as security risks.
  • On January 21, 2009, all unofficial clients were blocked within Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, accompanied by prompts encouraging users to switch to authorized versions like ICQ Lite or ICQ 6.5.
  • A similar blocking event took place again on February 3, 2009.
  • On December 27, 2018, ICQ declared it would terminate support for unofficial clients altogether, affecting users of lightweight clients such as Miranda NG.
  • Support for the Pidgin client was discontinued by late March 2019.

Collaboration with Russian Security Agencies

An article published by Novaya Gazeta in May 2018 disclosed that Russian intelligence services had access to ICQ users’ messages during criminal probes. In six out of fourteen investigations involving ICQ data, interception occurred prior to device confiscation. Unlike Telegram, which restricts agency access, Russian presidential advisor German Klimenko recommended utilizing ICQ for investigative purposes.

Child exploitation content

In 2023, the Brazilian media organization Núcleo Jornalismo disclosed that ICQ was exploited for distributing child pornography as a consequence of insufficient content moderation measures.

Supported clients

Although ICQ's exclusive OSCAR protocol limited compatibility with third-party software, a number of alternative clients emerged through reverse-engineering efforts, such as:

Official clients backed by AOL included:

Related topics

External links

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