Meet Michael Berry: political activist, cancer survivor, creditor’s dream. Meet Michael Berry: scam artist, killer, the real Michael Berry’s worst nightmare.
And so begins Identity Crisis, a Washington Post cover story about privacy and identity theft.
Friendster is still free. Of course, Friendster is still in beta. All indicators suggest that Jonathan will turn on pay when Friendster stops being free; these indicators also suggest that he will use a Match.com model and charge people to message those that they’re interested in.
This makes me sad.
As i discussed before, people are dating via Friendster. Of course, once there is pay, those not interested in dating will not have many of the tools necessary to maintain their network in a meaningful way, nor will they see the value in paying to do so. Those who are dating will only pay for one type of dating activity: reaching out to people beyond their immediate network (i.e. 4 degrees and effectively random).
People are still responding to my survey. It’s pretty clear that they view that providing Friendster with data about them and their friends is their contribution. They feel as though they own their data and that they have no reason to pay for abuses of that data.
I have a funny feeling that when Friendster turns pay, its usage will change dramatically and not in a way that will make the network more valuable.
Tribe.net is currently in early beta, yet it has already appeared on a wide variety of blogs. [Tribe.net is YASNS focus on 1) Recommendations and listings (housemates, for sale, etc.) and 2) Letting people connect with their groups of friends.]
Marc Canter [29 July 2003] – reflections by Marc on Tribe and the lessons that are being learned; references to other’s experiences
Jason Lefkowit [28 July 2003] – Jason is frustrated with the YASNS phenomenon, particularly because of its requirement to harangue one’s friends. His friend points out that it would be far more useful if those with power and influence were a part of the system.
Michael Radwin [4 August 2003] – puts the YASNS phenomenon in historical context and hints at why he’s hesistent to use these systems. [Sidenote: Michael was one of my TAs at Brown! How cool to run into someone this way.]
Pedro Alocer [8 August 2003] – without the sex, what’s the point?
Where’s the Smoke? [5 August 2003] – the author asks what the difference is between Tribe.net and Friendster and his readers comment back that it is both the focus on Tribes and the blending of Friendster meets Craigslist
William Blaze [28 July] – William notes that Tribe’s look and feel doesn’t work for him, but also likes that Tribe seems open to changes
Liz Lawley [6 August 2003] – Fake characters appear early on Tribe.net. Liz is asked if she’s a friend of Jesus.
Popdex – a list of links to blogs that are talking about Tribe.net
New ideas keep tech investments alive is an article by CBS MarketWatch about new technologies that are up-and-coming. In it, they hilight Friendster and Tribe.net as two different ways to network people for activities.