{{Short description|Former internet search engine}} {{Infobox website | name = ex.plode.us | logo = | screenshot = | caption = | url = ex.plode.us | commercial = yes | type = Search engine | language = [[English language|English]] | registration = | owner = Curverider Ltd | author = | launch_date = 2007 | current_status = inactive | revenue = }} '''ex.plode.us''' was a website [[search engine]] that indexed people. It was created by Curverider, the creators of the [[Elgg (software)|Elgg]] social networking platform.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.mcall.com/features/columnists/all-netizen0302mar02,0,4008357.column |title='Explode' blows down barriers that separate social networks |access-date=2007-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930155459/http://www.mcall.com/features/columnists/all-netizen0302mar02,0,4008357.column |archive-date=2007-09-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Ex.plode.us aggregated social data from [[43 Things]], [[flickr]], [[jaiku]], [[Live Journal]], [[tribe.net]], [[Twitter]], and [[YouTube]].
Initially launched as Explode! in February 2007 <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://blogs.zdnet.com/social/?p=97 |title=Explode, a meta-social network |access-date=2007-08-15 |archive-date=2007-08-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070828023011/http://blogs.zdnet.com/social/?p=97 |url-status=dead }}</ref> as purely a [[social network aggregation]] utility and widget it was re-launched in May 2007 as a people search engine.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.vecosys.com/2007/05/16/explodeus-relaunches-with-a-bang/ |title=Ex.plode.us relaunches with a bang |access-date=2007-08-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070914100615/http://www.vecosys.com/2007/05/16/explodeus-relaunches-with-a-bang/ |archive-date=2007-09-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
In August 2007 a [[Facebook]] version was released, taking advantage of the recently opened Facebook [[API]].<ref>[http://eduspaces.net/dtosh/weblog/191833.html Dave Tosh :: Blog :: Social search comes to Facebook via Explode]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://curverider.co.uk/blog/2007/08/30/starting-to-open-up-facebook-with-explode/ |title=Social search comes to Facebook via Explode |access-date=2007-08-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927091031/http://curverider.co.uk/blog/2007/08/30/starting-to-open-up-facebook-with-explode/ |archive-date=2007-09-27 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, the Facebook application did not allow ex.plode.us to aggregate information from Facebook.
In February 2008 a discussion on tribe.net dominated by tribe users who voiced privacy concerns resulted in tribe.net blocking ex.plode.us from accessing tribe users' [[FOAF]] data.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://brainstorm.tribe.net/thread/34fb1a79-351d-4251-8318-829623c1c9cb?newpostingid=7c402919-fa8e-4ca4-8d5d-dd7a2c9b56fe#7c402919-fa8e-4ca4-8d5d-dd7a2c9b56fe |title=What is ex.plode.us and have we been sold out? |access-date=2008-06-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723094142/http://brainstorm.tribe.net/thread/34fb1a79-351d-4251-8318-829623c1c9cb?newpostingid=7c402919-fa8e-4ca4-8d5d-dd7a2c9b56fe#7c402919-fa8e-4ca4-8d5d-dd7a2c9b56fe |archive-date=2011-07-23 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Individuals who were users of both ex.plode.us and tribe.net lost a great deal of their network on ex.plode.us.
As of February 2010, ex.plode.us no longer exists.{{cn|date=April 2017}}
It had hacked into some YouTube users accounts to get the 'sign up name' to display with the 'user name'. Google still has searches related to this hacking.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}}
== API == The site offered a REST-style API, which no longer exists.
== References == <references/>
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070815074038/http://curverider.co.uk/blog/2007/05/16/50/ Official press release] * [https://techcrunch.com/2007/02/20/look-out-mybloglog-here-comes-explode/ Look Out MyBlogLog - Here Comes Explode] * [http://blogs.zdnet.com/social/?p=158 Explode adds people search] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070828024552/http://blogs.zdnet.com/social/?p=158 |date=2007-08-28 }} * [http://mashable.com/2007/05/15/explode/ Explode is a New Social Search Engine] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070820183253/http://demogirl.com/2007/05/15/explode-a-social-network-connection/ Explode - A social network connection]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ex.Plode.Us}} [[Category:Defunct internet search engines]] [[Category:Social search]] [[Category:Defunct online companies]]
{{Web-stub}}