AOL Shutting Down AOL Instant Messenger

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- AOL announced on Friday that it is ending AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) in December.

The company released a statement and made an announcement on Twitter.

The messenger service will end on December 15, after launching in May 1997.

In a statement, VP of Communications Product at Oath wrote:

"If you were a 90's kid, chances are there was a point in time when AOL Instant Messenger (AIM) was a huge part of your life. You likely remember the CD, your first screenname, your carefully curated away messages, and how you organized your buddy lists. Right now you might be reminiscing about how you had to compete for time on the home computer in order to chat with friends outside of school. You might also remember how characters throughout pop culture from 'You've Got Mail'" to 'Sex and the City' used AIM to help navigate their relationships. In the late 1990's, the world had never seen anything like it. And it captivated all of us.

"AIM tapped into new digital technologies and ignited a cultural shift, but the way in which we communicate with each other has profoundly changed. As a result, we've made the decision that we will be discontinuing AIM effective December 15, 2017. We are more excited than ever to continue building the next generation of iconic brands and life-changing products for users around the world.

"Thank you to all of our AIM users. And definitely, stay tuned as we're fired up to provide more products and experiences that people around the world love."

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