Why did IRL shut down?

Ironically, the social app IRL ‘s users do not exist in real life. An internal investigation by IRL’s board of directors found that 95% of the app’s reported 20 million users were “automated or from bots,” The Information first reported. So, after raising more than $200 million in venture capital, IRL is shutting down.

How many users does IRL have?

Last year, the CEO of messaging app IRL repeatedly said it had 20 million monthly active users, who chatted about shared interests and planned real-world events together. Today, a spokesperson for the startup said an investigation by the board of directors concluded 95% of those users were “automated or from bots.”

Did IRL raise $200 million from SoftBank?

IRL raised $200 million from SoftBank’s Vision Fund, Founders Fund and others, before coming under scrutiny in a series of articles in The Information, which questioned its user number claims. Read deeply reported stories from the largest newsroom in tech.