Will Google Join the Crowd With A "Friend Connect" Platform?
Giant social networks Myspace and Facebook have plans to expand beyond their walls. Myspace announced on Thursday its Data Availability platform and Facebook countered quickly with Facebook Connect. Now it seems that Google's OpenSocial platform will join the ranks on Monday with "Friend Connect".
Google's Friend Connect Platform
According to TechCrunch, Michael Arrington has heard from several sources that Google has made plans to launch a competitor to the Data Availability and Facebook Connect platforms on Monday.What we know so far is that the "Friend Connect" platform will be another set of APIs for developers to use in order to securely push profile information into third party websites.
Possible Restrictions
Don't get your hopes up just yet. The most interesting part of this story is that it seems Google will be keeping a tighter reign on its data compared to the Facebook Connect and Data Availability platforms. Where Myspace and Facebook will be using their APIs to distribute data, Google will be requiring third parties to show data directly from Google's servers in an iframe. While third parties will be able to make the connection, it will unfortunately have to be on Google's terms.
Is Google Taking OpenSocial In The Wrong Direction?
Wait a minute. If the rumors are true, isn't this the opposite of what the OpenSocial network stands for? All of these companies are vying to get their product out the door first, while maintaining as much control as possible. Yet, this is a particularly unorthodox move from Google for the OpenSocial network. Thinking on what users and developers are hoping Google will accomplish with the OpenSocial network, Google should be leading the pack with settings, features, and restrictions for the Friend Connect platform. Instead, it seems they'll be doing the exact opposite.
Competing with the platforms of Myspace and Facebook will be no easy feat, even for a giant like Google. While the Friend Connect platform would be a welcomed addition to OpenSocial, developers and users will suffer if Google plans to implement limiting restrictions. If the rumors are true, Google may have already lost this battle.
Comments
Subscribe to comments for this post OR Subscribe to comments for all ReadWriteWeb posts
It seems that everybody is playing follow the leader with the social networks.
There is a real danger that the whole concept will become overdone (if it isn't already) dry up and blow away in the virtual wind.
Too much of the same thing over and over again tends to get ignored....Look at most advertising on web/blog pages. At first everybody read everything on a page. Then as ads started showing up everywhere and I do mean everywhere people started to ignore them.
If the social networking producers are not careful they will meet the same fate as the advertisers.
We should not expect Google to be bullet proof. They are not. Nor is any company.
Live From Las Vegas
Where We Don't Over Do Anything
The Masked Millionaire
Posted by: The Masked Millionaire | May 10, 2008 5:51 PM
Did google already make a big impact with their OpenSocial? :-)
Posted by: 113.com | May 10, 2008 10:14 PM
Friend connect, seems interesting, only problem is safety and privacy. Lets see how things turn up! :D
Posted by: VT | May 11, 2008 3:17 AM
I think this whole scenario is got confused and mixed up. Open Social is a different thing and if Google supports this, you are right it will oppose their previous step.
Posted by: Siddharth | May 11, 2008 7:48 AM
"There is a real danger that the whole concept will become overdone (if it isn't already) dry up and blow away in the virtual wind."
Is a good theory...
Posted by: alex | May 11, 2008 11:58 AM
It's Google. Better be good and makes an impact! :-)
Posted by: MyMesh.com | May 12, 2008 2:24 AM
thanks you..
Posted by: web | May 12, 2008 2:52 AM
Google is become a Microsoft Clone. Copying technology that others have patented. It could soon be in BIG trouble.
But then Google, Microsoft are the cowboys of the software world.
The idea of universal id is not new but it has recently caught attention.
So like Microsoft copied the mac interface for its windows and thereafter with every thing they created, Google is copying the likes of Facebook and others.
Interestingly, the idea of having personal data portability and universal id caught the imagination of companies such as Facebook, Google, etc after a relatively obscure company called NetAlter Software published its patent called NetAlter and outlined on its website that it proposes to develop an alternative to the internet or the present web.
So, wonder what their lawyers are up to!!!
Posted by: Rakesh | May 12, 2008 4:48 AM
I don't really see a danger in this concept being overdone. I think it's the direction that web development is going and if most websites can't keep up it won't be able to attract user's interest.
Posted by: Erin | May 12, 2008 9:55 AM