improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page . learn how and when to remove these template messages this article contains content that is written like an advertisement . please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view . august 2014 learn how and when to remove this template message a major contributor to this article appears to have a close connection with its subject . it may require cleanup to comply with wikipedia s content policies particularly neutral point of view . please discuss further on the talk page . may 2014 learn how and when to remove this template message learn how and when to remove this template message asmallworld type private founded london united kingdom 2004 no . of locations zurich switzerland june 2013 new york united states june 2013 area served worldwide founder s erik wachtmeister louise wachtmeister chairman patrick liotard vogt june 2013 ceo daniel huber january 2014 1 key people erik wachtmeister founder 2004 harvey weinstein founder 2006 patrick liotard vogt buyer 2009 sabine heller former ceo board member 2014 industry internet revenue unknown june 2014 operating income unknown june 2014 net income unknown june 2014 total equity chf 100 000 1 owner patrick liotard vogt 2009 employees unknown june 2013 website www.asmallworld.com alexa rank 127 827 as of january 2016 2 type of site social network service registration required since march 2004 with costs since may 2013 invitation only since march 2004 users unknown less than 250 000 april 2014 available in english uk english us launched march 2004 current status active asmallworld styled asmallworld asw is an exclusive paid subscription social network which relaunched in the spring of 2013 as a private international travel and social club with a peer recommended and verified user base capped membership at 250 000 members . 3 4 5 described as myspace for millionaires and the secret social network for the elite the site was founded in 2004 by erik wachtmeister and was one of the first social networks at that time . 6 7 8 asmallworld has been the subject of controversy for failing to provide the goods and services promised 9 engaging in gender discrimination 10 11 and eliminating members without good cause . 12 to join one must receive an invitation from an existing member or an invitation from the governing board after filing an application to be considered for membership . 13 14 15 contents 1 company history 2 member vetting process 3 features 4 offline offerings 5 controversies 6 gender discrimination law suit 7 see also 8 references 9 external links company history edit in march 2004 wachtmeister and his wife louise wachtmeister founded the social networking website asmallworld 16 as an exclusive social networking site for a worldwide community of people already connected by three degrees of separation . 17 it launched at almost the same time as myspace and facebook two years before facebook was made available to non college students . 18 19 it was dubbed myspace for millionaires by the wall street journal . 16 to maintain its desired exclusivity asmallworld while free was invitation only open only to those invited by an existing member . 20 whereas facebook soon opened its membership to everyone a small world remained exclusive . 19 wachtmeister over the course of his travels identified an existing niche community of people with similar lifestyles and tastes . he wanted to provide them with a platform to network and share information . 16 17 in may 2006 harvey weinstein s the weinstein company acquired the majority share 21 joining a team of investors that included former aol time warner coo robert w. pittman film director renny harlin and entrepreneur alexander von furstenberg . 22 23 at the time a small world had approximately 130 000 members . harvey weinstein said his company planned to expand the site s membership and bring in additional advertisers . it was the weinstein company s first investment in an internet company . 23 after launching online advertising in 2006 the website had 100 partners . advertisers included jaguar diane von furstenberg mercedes benz cartier and moet & chandon . 18 24 25 in 2009 swiss entrepreneur and investor patrick liotard vogt purchased the controlling stake in asmallworld and became its chairman . 26 at that time membership was in excess of 500 000 members and growing when sabine heller became its ceo . 27 28 in february 2013 asmallworld announced that as of march 1 2013 it would not be accepting new members citing an initiative to ensure the integrity of the community . 29 30 the company mapped a new strategy with a smaller network and more perks for its members . after shutting down asw relaunched in may 2013 with a membership model 110 annual contribution to allow an advertising free experience for its members . 31 32 in january 2014 the international press began reporting that there were private claims of approximately 5 000 000 against patrick liotard vogt . 33 one of the claims was made by diners club schweiz ag where patrick liotard vogt served on the board and acted as anchor investor . 34 another claim was made by david degen a swiss soccer player . towards the end of january 2014 degen publicly announced that the matter had been privately settled . 35 in early march 2014 liotard vogt resigned from the board of directors of diners club ag after settling the matter . later in march diners club ag discontinued its operations in switzerland germany france and benelux . 36 today asmallworld is marketing itself as the leading private international lifestyle club whose members are internationally minded people committed to opening their lives to each other sharing extraordinary experiences and ensuring that fellow members can live like locals wherever they go . 37 membership requires an invitation from an existing member or a membership application approved by an international committee of trustees . asmallworld is active in ca. 150 cities around the world and offers more than 1000 events annually 37 member vetting process edit to join one must receive an invitation from an existing member or an invitation from the governing board after filing an application to be considered for membership . 13 14 15 features edit asmallworld is part communication platform part service platform for a private international community of culturally influential people connected by three degrees . 38 the website is tailored to facilitate both online interaction and offline meetups between members . 39 the site shares some features with other social network services such as user profiles an online calendar and private messaging . the site also offers over 100 city guides written by its members detailing and rating restaurants bars and clubs . to facilitate meetups asw s site has a geolocator tool which allows users to post travel plans as well as browse and comment on the travel plans of other members . members can also view upcoming asw hosted events in different cities . 38 the site also allows members to buy and sell items find potential employees and business partners find investors or ventures to invest in rent property and find flatmates . using the site s discussion boards members can exchange advice on travel and business or simply engage in conversation . 40 in 2015 asmallworld launched apps for its members for the iphone 41 and for android . 42 offline offerings edit asmallworld hosts about 300 events per year worldwide for members to get together . a membership card designed by waris ahluwalia provides access to various privileges and asw events worldwide ; an extensive privileges programme that offers deals and discounts on travel lifestyle and luxury goods . 43 the member privileges programm includes benefits from luxury spas to discounted stays in luxury hotels including some of those in the leading hotels of the world group . 38 each year over 200 members attend the winter weekend in gstaad switzerland where members can join in wine tastings fondue parties and a dinner event . 44 in 2011 members donated 40 000 to a sex trafficking prevention charity run by somaly mam . at the 2012 winter weekend in gstaad members raised 95 000 for the alzheimer s society . carey mulligan an ambassador for the society s alzheimer s society was present . 45 the company also offers invitations to events hosted by its partners . 46 for example users might preview new collections from fashion designers . members also have access to a privileges program . here they can choose between over 500 partners offering reductions and vip service among other things for hotels car services designer brands and other lifestyle brands . 47 the company has stated through its mobile iphone app that they will be extending members only perks and benefits exclusively to asw members with selected partners . 48 controversies edit when asmallworld relaunched as a pay site in 2013 they promised members a week long free vacation in st. kitts and free introductory car service from various airports around the world . 49 construction of the hotel in st. kitts was delayed and the resort will be open for guests in december 2014 . 50 the 2013 effort to bring down the number of users from around 850 000 to 250 000 involved the expulsion of several members . according to the asmallworld management these were a small group of under 900 users most of whose accounts were dormant and the remainder who had acquired a notable percentage of declined and ignored connections complaints from other members or reports of unsolicited or inappropriate messaging . the purge included some fallen celebrities such as tiger woods allegedly on the grounds of his extramarital affairs and actress lindsay lohan ; while other celebrities such as joshua bell bibhu mohapatra or chelsea leyland remained in the network . 30 38 the management stated that the process was based on an algorithm and that it had decided to terminate the accounts of anyone who undermines the unique spirit of openness that serves as the cornerstone of asw . as a result a few thousand former and current members gathered on facebook in a group called asw nostalgia of which one admin was subsequently removed from asmallworld . asmallworld defended this action with a personal comment on the member . 12 51 recently asmallworld has been the subject of controversy for failing to provide the goods and services promised 9 engaging in gender discrimination 10 11 and eliminating members without good cause . 12 gender discrimination law suit edit in april 2014 asmallworld was sued by a former employee in federal district court in manhattan for discrimination . the plaintiff alleges that he was fired by asmallworld for requesting paid leave when his spouse had a child . 10 11 the case was settled by asmallworld for an undisclosed sum . 52 see also edit list of social networking websites references edit a b http www.moneyhouse.ch u g asmallworld ag ch 020.3.038.423 3.htm asmallworld.com site info . alexa internet . retrieved 7 january 2016 . asmallworld to relaunch . cnw . 14 may 2013 . retrieved 1 may 2014 . asmallworld s fashion week party for rahul mishra . vogue . 1 april 2014 . retrieved 8 april 2014 . selina denman 20 june 2013 . the lady making a small world smaller . the national . retrieved 8 april 2014 . myspace for millionaires the secret social network for the elite . yahoo news . retrieved 8 april 2014 . ruiz nicola . five social networking sites of the wealthy . forbes . retrieved 8 april 2014 . frank robert 2007 12 01 . myspace for millionaires . the wall street journal . retrieved 8 april 2014 . a b http trendspaeherin.blogspot.com 2013 08 asmallworld from snobster to fraudster.html a