July 18th, 2007
Poll: is Facebook Platform good for the web?
When Facebook first announced its new ‘Platform’ whereby third-party companies could built applications and set-up shop within the social networking site, many pronounced its ‘openness’ as a good thing, since it gives developers access to the site’s millions of users. And whilst access to all of those users is something no web startup should dismiss, it did, and still does, make we wonder what impact Facebook Platform will have on the rest of the web?
…where does this leave the ’small pieces, loosely joined’ philosophy of the net? If everybody sets up shop in Facebook, keeping all the action inside the social network site, where does that leave the rest of the web?
Over at Read/WriteWeb, Richard MacManus wrote a great post looking at how ‘open’ Facebook really is, since it using it’s own version of web standards, is, by design, a closed network in terms of privacy (you have to join the site, and be authorized to view profiles), and it doesn’t support standards to enable users to move their data elsewhere.
Some have gone as far as to call Facebook the new AOL.
So, is Facebook good for the web? Take my poll, but also let’s debate this in the comments.
Loading ...Steve O'Hear is a London-based consultant, educator, and journalist, focussing on the Internet and all aspects of digital technology. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
