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Back in November, Google announced the launch of OpenSocial, a platform which will aid developers who create applications and widgets for social networking sites. In a highly-anticipated move, Google is positioning themselves and their partners to compete with Facebook by means of more functional and more streamlined applications. With a growing number of social networking options online (and approximately 400 million users accessing these websites) comes an ever-expanding list of applications, most of which must be developed specifically for each site. Google’s platform will significantly reduce the headache involved and open up the social networking industry to more sleek and flexible third party applications.

OpenSocial works by providing a set of three APIs, or Application Programming Interfaces, which allow developers to build apps that can be used across multiple websites. Programmers can use standard JavaScript and HTML to create applications which can access a social network user’s friends and update feeds. Common APIs mean that the learning curve is gentler for programmers who build for multiple websites. This will likely mean more quality applications delivered in a shorter timeframe, with functionality across the social networking world. Websites which have already begun implementing OpenSocial include Friendster, MySpace, Orkut (Google-owned), Ning, Tianji, and XING, among others.

According to OpenSocial’s website, “The ultimate goal is for any social website to be able to implement the APIs and host 3rd party social applications.” If they’re successful, users might see applications combining Orkut or MySpace with Google Maps capabilities, which will show where your friends are located. Also, you may see an Orkut widget designed for MySpace or Friendster that will show whether or not your friends are online through other social networking sites. The difference with current social networks is that, as with Facebook, applications are designed for use with just one site, and cannot be seamlessly integrated into the larger context. Facebook has a platform that allows third party developers to build applications on Facebook itself, but OpenSocial is significantly more flexible, allowing third parties to give and take data in and out of Google and non-Google programs. Google will also allow developers to host their applications on their own servers, which Facebook does not permit. These changes will give Orkut and other OpenSocial partners the much needed boost to help them compete with the heavy hitters.

Websites who want to implement OpenSocial can enable their sites as containers and access a support forum. In the long-term, Google seems to be positioning themselves very prudently in the social networking milieu. These mini-applications/widgets/gadgets, instead of being non-matching components, instead take on a similar look and feel, and are easy to integrate into any site with the use of OpenSocial. With Orkut as a site from which to gather data and test ideas, Google seems to be adding a social networking layer to the “Google suite”, which could mean seeing Google Docs or Calendar on your MySpace page, Google Maps on your Facebook profile, or Google Reader pulling news feeds of stories to share with your Friendster friends. This is yet another example of how Google is spreading their influence into diverse corners of our lives. Here’s hoping they continue to use their power for good instead of evil, making every aspect of our web lives just a little easier.

Friday, January 4th, 2008 Both comments and pings are currently closed.

By Haley January Eckels