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October 27, 2003
Social networking bubble?
A German startup (openBC) is trying to make money off the wave (bubble?) of social networking software/websites. The organisation is aimed at commercial entities who want to network with each other via the openBC website. Apart from the fact that openBC doesn't tell you the price of their premium membership (which gets you most of the real "functionality") until after you've actually registered as a user, their use of the "six degrees of separation" meme everywhere on the site as a justification for this type of commercial offering shows just how much of a bubble this kind of thing is becoming.
While personal networks are becoming increasingly important - as will formats such as FOAF - it strikes me that these companies are trying to make a quick buck out of something that is only just emerging and still quite a way from being mainstream.
Posted by Matthew at October 27, 2003 07:51 PM