The Real Life Social Network

[strawman]

Google spent a bit of time analyzing human social networks, and how online social networks fail to map to how people really relate to each other. Includes gems such as:

Status updates are often perceived as a narcissistic activity. But research has indicated that they support important social functions. People have four primary reasons for updating their status:
- People update their status to shape how others perceive them.
- People update their status to maintain and grow relationships.
- People update their status to share content that others might find valuable.
- People update their status to source information.

This stems from a meeting I attended tonight on Google's APIs at the Ann Arbor google office, where one of the followup emails was:

At tonight's GTUG meeting an attendee raised the question about the future of Google in the social space, mentioning their poor track record in that space to date. Pamela did not say anything specific about Google's future plans in the social space, but if rumors are true, there are indeed big plans for Google in the social space. There is a credible rumor in the blogosphere that Google is working on a "Facebook Killer" that they are calling Google Me. If you search on Google Me you will find plenty of news stories about it. Here is one from Tech Crunch:
Former Facebook CTO: ‘Google Me’ Is Real, And It’s Gunning For Facebook

Giving more credibility to these rumors is a Slide deck that was recently posted to SlideShare by a Google employee from their UX group. The slide deck is a comprehensive look (224 slides) of how Google believes a social network should be done right. Much of the focus is on better privacy and the problems they see with current social networks. The presentation is title "The Real Life Social Network." You can find that slide deck here:
The Real Life Social Network v2

I've also heard this being one of the reasons they shut down Wave. Google is bringing all of their social developers under one roof to work on Google Me.

I have grudgingly allowed myself to be drawn into social networks, but this is honestly exciting me. Hopefully they can pull it off...

-Adam

 

[Troll]

I never used MySpace or Facebook simply because they don't appeal to me for a few reasons. I am not, however, against social sites in general. I think Google's rumored foray into social networking might have potential. If it's done right I would be willing to give it a try. I wonder how many people would switch from a more established site like Facebook, though? So many Facebook users are just on there because that's where everyone else is, or because it's all they know about online sites (I'm thinking of older people mostly).

 

[Reboneer]

The whole section about independent groups of friends... it's George Costanza's Worlds Theory, and it's one of the reasons I don't use Facebook. If Google Me solves this problem, I'm interested...



---------- Post added at 03:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:05 PM ----------

I never used MySpace or Facebook simply because they don't appeal to me for a few reasons. I am not, however, against social sites in general. I think Google's rumored foray into social networking might have potential. If it's done right I would be willing to give it a try. I wonder how many people would switch from a more established site like Facebook, though? So many Facebook users are just on there because that's where everyone else is, or because it's all they know about online sites (I'm thinking of older people mostly).

A lot of those same people made the switch from MySpace to Facebook. No reason it can't happen again.

 

[David]

Yeah, I was kind of in the "moved from myspace to facebook" crowd. I use the internet for stuff other than social networking anyway, but I only started in the first place because it's where everyone else I know is and pretty much the only way I can keep in touch with a lot of them.

 

[Troll]

I never used MySpace or Facebook simply because they don't appeal to me for a few reasons. I am not, however, against social sites in general. I think Google's rumored foray into social networking might have potential. If it's done right I would be willing to give it a try. I wonder how many people would switch from a more established site like Facebook, though? So many Facebook users are just on there because that's where everyone else is, or because it's all they know about online sites (I'm thinking of older people mostly).

A lot of those same people made the switch from MySpace to Facebook. No reason it can't happen again.[/QUOTE]

True. I suppose I thought some of them would be more entrenched with Facebook for some reason, though I don't know why that would be.

 

[Reboneer]

Wow, after reading the whole thing, this describes almost all of the problems I have with Facebook. If Google Me can truly solve all these problems, I'm in.

 

[makare]

Ive never had any problems with facebook so i would only try something new to try something new. I wouldnt get rid of my facebook.

 

[Silver Jelly]

The whole section about independent groups of friends... it's George Costanza's Worlds Theory, and it's one of the reasons I don't use Facebook. If Google Me solves this problem, I'm interested...



---------- Post added at 03:07 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:05 PM ----------

I never used MySpace or Facebook simply because they don't appeal to me for a few reasons. I am not, however, against social sites in general. I think Google's rumored foray into social networking might have potential. If it's done right I would be willing to give it a try. I wonder how many people would switch from a more established site like Facebook, though? So many Facebook users are just on there because that's where everyone else is, or because it's all they know about online sites (I'm thinking of older people mostly).

A lot of those same people made the switch from MySpace to Facebook. No reason it can't happen again.

You can't imagine how many times I've used this video or referenced this to talk about this problem to facebook friends in the last two weeks.

 

[Bubble181]

On the one hand, this sounds very cool. On the other hand, ignoring the alarmist overtones:

 

[Reboneer]

On the one hand, this sounds very cool. On the other hand, ignoring the alarmist overtones:

This video seems to pop up any time Google is mentioned. Aside from one unfortunately worded quote by Eric Schmidt, all it basically says is "Google is big, therefore Google is evil".

 

[Bubble181]

It's weird how I post it SAYING I don't fully agree with it (and especially the presentation which, frankly, is less balanced and fair than even Michael Moore), and still people align me with it.

Anyway, that aside, not true about "google is big and therefore evil". The point the movie tries to make is that Google is quickly becoming very much omnipresent in people's daily on line life. If you're using Chrome, Android, Gmail, Google Maps, use Youtube for entertainment, and so on, all in all, it's like one company making your car, selling you fuel, heating your house, and delivering the mail....Oh, and using all the data it can get (where you go, who you talk to, when, and what you go out for) to send you more you-oriented commercial magazines.

Heck, one can easily make a case for Google already being more important to quite a few people's on line life than Microsoft.

 

[Matt²]

Quick, someone buy Googleme.com so Google can't, make millions!

 

[Officer_Charon]

If you're using Chrome, Android, Gmail, Google Maps, use Youtube for entertainment, and so on, all in all, it's like one company making your car, selling you fuel, heating your house, and delivering the mail....Oh, and using all the data it can get (where you go, who you talk to, when, and what you go out for) to send you more you-oriented commercial magazines.

I guess I don't really see a problem with this.

[/QUOTE]

When you put it l like that, _I_ sure as hell do!

 

[Null]

Not looking forward to your cyborg makeover, eh, Charon?

 

[Officer_Charon]

Not looking forward to your cyborg makeover, eh, Charon?

*chuckles* Ironically enough, that was my nickname when I worked Mall Security, and for a portion of the Academy.... I guess maybe I have trouble loosening up? *grins*
Well, that and "Ricky Recon"

 

[Hailey Knight]

If Google really became a monopoly, I trust it to be trust-busted. If Microsoft's not beyond that measure, Google isn't either.

That said, I view social networking sites largely as a waste of time. My friends keep trying to drag me into Facebook and I just don't see a point in doing anything with it but posting status updates (pointless) and being contacted by people I've forgotten (hurray).

 

[Null]

Not looking forward to your cyborg makeover, eh, Charon?

*chuckles* Ironically enough, that was my nickname when I worked Mall Security, and for a portion of the Academy.... I guess maybe I have trouble loosening up? *grins*
Well, that and "Ricky Recon"[/QUOTE]

I think it's because you answered every question with "Serve the public trust. Protect the innocent. Uphold the law."

 

[Officer_Charon]

I think it's because you answered every question with "Serve the public trust. Protect the innocent. Uphold the law."

Something's not quite right... seems like something's missing, there...

 

[Null]

It's classified.

 

[crono1224]

It's weird how I post it SAYING I don't fully agree with it (and especially the presentation which, frankly, is less balanced and fair than even Michael Moore), and still people align me with it.

Anyway, that aside, not true about "google is big and therefore evil". The point the movie tries to make is that Google is quickly becoming very much omnipresent in people's daily on line life. If you're using Chrome, Android, Gmail, Google Maps, use Youtube for entertainment, and so on, all in all, it's like one company making your car, selling you fuel, heating your house, and delivering the mail....Oh, and using all the data it can get (where you go, who you talk to, when, and what you go out for) to send you more you-oriented commercial magazines.

Heck, one can easily make a case for Google already being more important to quite a few people's on line life than Microsoft.

It is interesting you make more points when you form your own response rather than just quoting a video.

 

[Bubble181]

It's interesting how I don't always feel the need, nor have the time, to explain myself fully in each and every thread.

 

[crono1224]

And yet you did because posting a highly biased (overplayed) video provides no insight or any contribution to the thread. Personally I enjoy google related things, search/email/browser, and if their foray into social networking is actually good i will check it out.