Social networks are hot. MySpace, Facebook. Google recently wanted to open the market with its OpenSocial. Which made me think, are these efforts really social? Is Facebook a real social network? I think not
So I grabbed realsocial.org which is currently just an alias. But I will put up a wiki with my (and your?) ideas about what real social networks are. I’m thinking of distinguishing Real Social and real social networks.
I’d consider CouchSurfing, BookCrossing, and all current ride share websites that I’m aware of, as real social networks. They lead to real life connections or actual forms of exchange, with less time spent offline than online.
I could think of three that would fit my criteria for being Real Social: BeWelcome, Ripple and Hitchwiki. The capitalization comes from the way the networks, its organization and the software is developed.
Sounds great Kasper.
Perhaps could be part of a ” dream ” vision to be shared
with attainable utopias :
http://attainable-utopias.org/tiki/tiki-index.php
dream gallery :
http://attainable-utopias.org/tiki/DreamGallery
Process :
http://attainable-utopias.org/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=DreamExchange
aome other hand picked view on the site :
Some Design Synergy Tools
http://attainable-utopias.org/tiki/tiki-index.php?page=OttoSynergyTools
Greetings ,
Dante
Sounds nice.
Rather than “real world” versus “online”, I see “real” social networks are networks which are truly social. By that, I mean networks where users own their own data. Where users can choose to change platform, company or network, and retain their existing connections, relationships, trust, and interactions.
In that sense, I think most current social networks are not “real”.
I was virtually there for the grabbing, so thumbs up (what else
I think “real” social network isn’t just about the software - otherwise geeks would long ago have built their social empire and there would be no room left for all the Facebooks out there. Though, I have to agree that concepts referred to on the Social network portability mailing list would be a welcome addition to advance socio-digital rights of users, and initiatives like Google’s Open Social will help content providers to reduce lock-in in terms of applications (however, users won’t necessarily migrate just because they can suddenly bite virtual necks on the network next door…)
For me, a “real” social network would have to be a combination of online and offline lives and personas, definitely one that promotes person-to-person interactions, ultimately face-to-face and not just endless hours of online jabbering (and in a NON-dating site sense). I see this as potential killer application in places like Finland where despite the cell phone coverage people still don’t mesh with as much ease as elsewhere.
Within the three years I’ve been involved in web-based social communities as a heavy user and volunteer, CS still takes the first place in the quality of interactions and the community - but it’s probably clear for the other commentors why it’s no longer possible to for me to advocate it as the ultimate solution
I believe it might very well be the next big step for the web: transferring the capability of the web to also network people in real life (in which the mainstream non-hospitality people are far behind us for example
OpenID 2.0 is out:
http://openid.net/2007/12/05/openid-2_0-final-ly/
Yes!! Now you are really showing the world the way! But I always knew you would.Didn’t know when you would put your ideas into reality though.With people like you leading ,people who have a vision and an open mind just draw the best minds automatically to the project .Great step in the right direction.One step at a time.
Hi Kasper,
I added a supportive commentary here at
http://blog.p2pfoundation.net/on-anoptism-true-distributed-architectures-and-the-need-for-real-social-networks/2008/01/04
I will also monitor your progress here at http://p2pfoundation.net/Category:Standards and hope we can of assistance to your important project.
Michel
I wonder if by real social networking you mean something like meetup.com.
Facebook_can_be used for real social networking but that’s up to the individual to take the initiative. Even on something like Couchsurfing where the sole purpose is offline interaction, I’m sure a large chunk of members have never couchsurfed…