I think it's a bit of both, 50/50 right?

You can create your avatar, customize it to your liking (there is no general taste like in SL)

Then go to rooms of each type, if you want to get married you go to a wedding room... if you want fun you go to a disco... or a +18 room lol
You can take photos as if you were on Instagram, gain followers so yes I see it more as a social network but just like a game its fine..

no IMVU is NOT a game.Every Avatar reflects a real person with real feelings.Relationships are created and broken just like real life.People get hurt in the procedure.FAN FACT IMVU was originally created for handicaped people so that they can enjoy a degree of normality in their interactions.So no its absolutely not a game.I'd say that it is a social experiment.However it is understood that people that choose this type of interaction have certain limitations in their real lives.And there is the huge confusion!This is a social project not a dating site so people should stop demand real life interactions whenever this is not possible by both parties (i told someone that if he's searching for a real date he is in the wrong platform and must visit tinder instead).Also people should be totally honest of what thay can and cannot give in a relationship.I think honesty respect and clarity are the elements that this project lacks of