Are Facebook’s privacy woes setting the stage for competitors to sweep in and gain market share? Could MySpace, Bebo or even Google come from behind and gain the social-networking lead?
Despite Facebook’s dominance, other social networks are not shuttering their operations. Indeed, new competitors are sure to enter the market in the years ahead with their own twist on social networking.
The newest rumored entrant to social networking is none other than Google. Some observers are speculating that the web’s 800-pound gorilla is getting more serious about social networking with a planned Facebook competitor called Google Me. Neither Facebook nor Google was immediately available to comment.
Analyst: Don’t Believe the Hype
The hubbub started when Digg founder Kevin Rose sent a tweet reporting Google is getting ready to launch a social network called Google Me. Here’s the content of his now famous tweet: “OK, umm, huge rumor: Google to launch Facebook competitor very soon ‘Google Me,’ very credible source.”
Of course, Rose didn’t name the source. The rumor comes shortly after Facebook announced its Open Graph search feature, which some have labeled a Google killer. It also comes just months after the launch of Google Buzz. And Google already owns Orkut, a social network that has gained significant traction in Brazil.
What does Google have up its sleeve? And should Facebook be worried? Greg Sterling, principal analyst at Sterling Market Intelligence, doesn’t think so. “This is total hyperbole,” he said. “Google may be upgrading its profiles and Google continues to try and make its offerings more ‘social.’ However, there is no way that anything Google does is going to ‘kill’ Facebook.”
Updating Google Profiles?
Most analysts aren’t giving much credibility to the Google Me notion. Some are suggesting that Google may be working to update its Google Profiles. A Google Profile is how people present themselves to…