Google OpenSocial: The Third Place
Techcrunch has sniffed out details on Google's new social network project, named OpenSocial (set to go live Thur US). OpenSocial is not a social network itself, rather it is a set of three common APIs that allow developers to access the following core functions and information at social networks:
- Profile Information (user data)
- Friends Information (social graph)
- Activities (things that happen, News Feed type stuff)
These are 3 fairly generic API calls - specialized data will remain the responsibility of the "hosts", which currently include Orkut, Salesforce, LinkedIn, Ning, Hi5, Plaxo, Friendster, Viadeo and Oracle. Developers already signed up include Flixster, iLike, RockYou and Slide - who you will recognize as being 'power developers' on Facebook.
Image via Techcrunch
What this means
Simply put, Google has created a distributed social network framework that will end up competing with Facebook and MySpace (and Bebo in markets like the UK). It is kind of a 'third place' of social networks - and it is a huge boost to the less populous or more specialized social networks such as Ning, Hi5 and our old friend Friendster.
For developers there are lots of benefits. They can build an app that easily works across all the OpenSocial partners. And they can use normal HTML, Javascript and Flash - instead of the proprietary languages Facebook forces developers to use.
It's not entirely clear yet what the benefits will be to users. I assume there will be some interoperability - e.g. when a user joins up to a Ning social network, there may be hooks into their Friendster profile and data. Will this be the full 'export' functionality that industry people like Marc Canter have been crying out for? It remains to be seen. I think it's fair to assume there won't be an export function from OpenSocial to Facebook or MySpace, at this point anyway. I'd love to be proven wrong though.
With the limited details released so far, it seems that this is another example of Google creating a distributed system (think Adsense, search). It plays to their strengths and is certainly aimed at challenging Facebook and MySpace. For a start, they've already got on board all the main developers that Facebook has (iLike, Slide, et al). And while Google doesn't 'own' the Third Place, powerful social networks like Hi5 and Friendster have signed up - and so Google has become the platform for those social networks.
It's Facebook vs MySpace vs The Rest - and The Rest is now operating under a Google framework.
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This is part of a bigger effort. I liken it to an immune response from the Internet to the Balkanization threat posed by the rising "walled gardens" like Facebook. More of my take on this topic here: http://therealmccrea.wordpress.com/2007/10/31/did-you-feel-the-earth-move-google-shakes-things-up/
Do you not think that this API approach will be limited to second tier social networks?
It's great from that point of view as it makes it worth a developers while creating apps where otherwise the smaller size of the social network would make it a waste of time (i.e. they would better spend their time working on Facebook / MySpace apps.)
I struggle to see the likes of MySpace ceding too much control to the OpenSocial cause, particularly until (and if) it has proved itself as a 'must'.
Sounds like application developers can now easily milk the long tail of web 2.0 social networks
You say its "set to go live Thur US" but really, it will start its 3 year beta period. :)
via Slashdot: Breaking Open Facebook with Open Source Software. This was posted last night before Google's announcement. An open API is encouraging but it's not necessarily everything we'll need.
Google is using the small player force to fight against the big boys. I support them!
Does anyone know how google decided to include in the Open Social initial release?
Richard, you are undermining the importance of this by saying "third place of social networks". Though this is not the ultimate step, this has the potential to be huge. This is the first step towards a more open and decentralized social networking system where users are in control.
Hello Guys/Girls, if there are any developers on here who are excited about getting their hands on the OpenSocial APIs (I know I am!), I have made a website/forum for discussion, would be cool to get a few active members to get the website going http://www.osocial.co.uk/forum/
This is a broad sweeping unification of social networks and social media. Google has created a new platform with OpenSocial. Is it open or unified or both? http://fishtrain.com/2007/11/01/opensocial-social-unification/
o you not think that this API approach will be limited to second tier social networks?
It's great from that point of view as it makes it worth a developers while creating apps where otherwise the smaller size of the social network would make it a waste of time (i.e. they would better spend their time working on Facebook / MySpace apps.)
I struggle to see the likes of MySpace ceding too much control to the OpenSocial cause, particularly until (and if) it has proved itself as a 'must'.
Checkmate! Game over. Facebook is toast! Why? Because if Facebook joins Google's OpenSocial they would be admitting defeat and become just another sheep in Google's herd but if they don't join they will die a slow and painful death. Why?Because Google is offering to host the apps that developers create on it's platform which means developers don't have to pay for hosting fees or bandwidth. Many apps that became popular on Facebook caused their owners more money to maintain due to increased bandwidth than they were making from ads. As a result few saw any real profits.This addresses that problem. I can't help but wonder what the executives who defected from Goggle to Facebook when Facebook was the flavor of the week are thinking now. Probably something like...oh s___!what have I done! Make no mistake this is a killer app. Advertisers only care about the bottom line and who can deliver it best. Thousands of websites using the same common API(not a day will go by from this day forward without a major website announcing they're joining Googles/Myspace OpenSocial)or one website,Facebook using a variation of HTML that's not compatible with anything. Myspace and Google together is a unbeatable one two punch. Besides, Facebook is still on a learning curve as can be seen by how they are constantly changing their developers documentation and rules for conducting business on the platform not to mention apps disappearing into thin air. Google/Myspace is the gold standard and will implement OpenSocial much more smoothly. Google/Myspace was in the widget game way before Facebook opened up to developers only six months ago. Facebook is a walled garden and it indiscriminately picks and chooses which apps get high visibility while it tweaks it's platform to keep other apps from succeeding. Also they deny apps submission into their directory on a whim thus a large underground subset of apps some of which are very popular will migrate from Facebook where they were denied entry for no apparent reason over to Google/Myspace. Facebook belongs to a bunch of nouveau riche wannabe stuckup spoiled brats who thought they had the world on a string. Now they must eat humble pie and bow down and kiss the ring that is Google/Myspace. Oh well,so much for Facebooks 15 billion dollar valuation. They'll be lucky if they can get 1 billion now. Why develope on Facebook which claims to have 50 million members when you can develope on Google's/Myspace platform which has 200 million members...do the math. Stick a fork in it! Facebook is toast!
Go Google! can't wait for this. ^_^