Social Networks, XFN and the Future

After a rather odd post from me last time about the ring-fence, non-privacy that is Facebook (perhaps a d.construct fuelled blip) here's something as an alternative.

Since reading this article on the Digital Web Magazine, and more recently Tantek Celik's presentation at d.construct the possiblilty of an open social network has been once again running through my mind.

Potentially XFN has the power to give meaning to what we have and do on the web. If I were to sumble on to my blog, I'd be able to know that I've a presence on Last FM, and Facebook, and I built Pigeonbasics, and F1-Fans, etc, and vice versa if I were to start from my Last FM profile.

Where before you only had the details given on that specific site, now it's about the bigger picture, my presence on the entire web.

Mind there are some questions; do you want everything you do on the web to be accessible so easily? How would you block some parts from others - with confidence? How would you handle privacy? Or actually is anything we do on the net private?

With confusing conceptions about privacy, and security amongst the average net user, while I think XFN is useful, and good, I am sure there are a thousand that would find it scary and intrusive.

Having data on the web (having lots of it) and then having a meaning attached to that data is a big shift, and I think it'll take a very long time for it to be accepted (or even understood) amongst your average user.

Facebook I dont love you no more

You wooed me whilst I was at university, all my friends loved you. You brought us closer together, you meant finding people was easy - all important when finding yourself in a new country, around new people and a new life.

You gave a standard format for entering all my interesting(?) details, and finding the same from my friends.

What went wrong Facebook?

You're now a clutter of clashing pages and useless 'applications'. You don't even know who you are any more. I mean either roll out your 'new' persona or keep the old one - at least be consistent!

The power and potential from what I saw in you has since gone; how is something useful to me if I'm the only one I know that uses it? I already know about me...

...and now you know about me, but you seem overly intent on keeping it that way. Why can I not access my information to use on different online services...

Identity and privacy are rare commodities - I only have one identity, but are you really private when I don't own my information anymore? If I wish to give another website, another person, my details that is up to me, not you... you holding my data captive is surly an admission of exactly what you have always strived against. All your privacy and security you so loudly tout is null and void because you, not me, hold the key.

You hold me hostage now Facebook and that's why I don't love you no more.