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For many, it was the original social network.

Bebo, which was a huge hit, was sold to AOL in 2008 for $850m - before sinking without a trace as Facebook became to world's biggest social network.

Now, the husband and wife team who originally founded it have relaunched it, after buying back the domain name for $1m.

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Bebo promises 'chat with attitude', and its founder claims the social network is 'all about the banter'

At its height in 2008, Bebo saw over 1 billion page views a week.

Now, it is available as an iOS and Android app, with a web version coming soon.

'When we decided to come back we wanted to make something people would use,' Shaan Puri, the CEO of Bebo, told MailOnline.

He runs the site for Michael and Xochi Birch, the couple who founded it in 2005, and who bought the domain name back. 

'A lot of casual conversation is about banter - so we came up with the idea based around that.'

When users first sign up, they create their own avatars which are their 'face' on the network.

Using hashtags, they can be made to change their expression, for instance.

Other hashtags can show a map, play music or even launch games on the site.  

'Michael decided to use hashtags, to allow people to make their character do things - you can slap friends, or even play a game, or send a song,' said Puri.

The firm plans to add extra features to the app over time. 

'People will discover them in the network- people tell their friends as we release new features using hashtags.'

He also took aim at other social networks that sell packs of emojis or stickers to users.

The original Bebo: At its height in 2008, Bebo saw over 1 billion page views a week

'Unlike an Emoji, you don't have to go buy new packs - and we can have a hashtag up in seconds.'

The new site is also aimed at users of the original.  

'It was a place to have fun with friends, and we hope those same things will carry on.

'This has got to be more fun - it's not about using us over twitter, we think people will use both for different sets of people. 

'But with your best mates, we hope you'll be on Bebo.'

THE COUPLE BEHIND BEBO 

Bebo, which stands for 'Blog Early, Blog Often,' was founded in 2005 and in its hey day had some 40 million users around the world. 

Bebo was founded by husband and wife team Michael and Xochi Birch, who met as students while both at Imperial College in London.

Set up in 2005, after several previous start-ups, it became vast, boasting more than 10 million users before the pair sold it to AOL for a staggering $850 million, of which the Birches pocketed $595 million. 

Two years after the internet giant bought the social network, private equity form Criterion Capital Partners tried to revive it for less than $10 million but failed, before the Birches were able to buy it back.

As well as resurrecting Bebo, the pair have become angel investors, helping young start-ups get their first step on the online ladder, and Michael is also heavily involved in PROfounders, a London venture capital firm that invests heavily in the capital's startups. 

They now also run a software 'incubator' called Monkey Inferno in San Francisco, along with a private members club called The Battery. 

Earlier this yearhe Californian-based couple have now snapped up the the Farmers Arms pub in Woolsery, Devon, and have vowed to restore it to its former glory. 

The firm also said it hoped to bring back photos from the old site.

'It's taken a bit of engineering, but by 31 January we will have your photos available for download,' it said. 

Bebo, which stands for 'Blog Early, Blog Often,' was founded in 2005 and in its hey day had some 40 million users around the world. 

Bebo Founder, Michael Birch: 'It's time to come clean.'