DISQUS

Danny · 1 year ago

When it comes to discovery of a user's social graph, the Social Graph API is essentially retroactive -- if a social network implements it, then all of its users' "Add Friends" (past, present and future) will be discoverable via the API. If significant adoption occurs, the real question won't have to do with how easy it is to extend your social graph, it'll be whether Facebook's social graph is more valuable than the sum of all the social graphs available on every other network that implements the OpenSocial API.

In that sense, the Social Graph API is taking on Facebook in the same manner as OpenSocial: Facebook vs. everyone else. And as with OpenSocial, its success will be measured by how many major players get on board.

Paul "Facebookology" Reilly · 1 year ago

The use of the rel attribute is cursed with the same fundamental problem with meta-data in general.

People can't be bothered to complete meta-data.. and even if they could be bothered, the user generated annotation will be disjointed and rarely follow any standards.

So - I totally agree that with Tim O'Reilly - while this is one step closer, there's a long way to go before its social graph data is as useful as Facebook's social graph.

Paul Reilly
Founder of the Church of Facebookology
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5489961708

Danny · 1 year ago

@Paul, the idea behind the Social Graph API is for the social network to populate the metadata straight from it's own social graph, so in theory, as long as the social network fully populates the metadata, there should be no difference between that data and the data that is inherent to Facebook's social graph.

Kevin Guidry · 1 year ago

Nick, I'm afraid that I don't see any evidence in your post supporting your assertion that "Facebook has the most accurate representation of the social graph." Did I miss it?

Alvin · 1 year ago

I have no interest in having my social graph exposed to the world. I would deliberately falsify my link info. Theoretically, Facebook has more security.

I also do not like the idea of Data Portability where my info could end up on a Social Network that I did not sign up for. I don't mind my Facebook or Linkedin friends having it but I don't want them spreading it over the Internet.

Eric · 1 year ago

Google Social Graph API sucks as much as Facebook. Hopefully these two evil companies will merge and then disappear like Netscape did.

Nick O'Neill · 1 year ago

@Kevin, i didn't really place any evidence. That's a great point. At this point all I have is anecdotal evidence. Are you on any other social networks that have a more accurate representation of your social graph?

Kevin Guidry · 1 year ago

Nick, I don't think any SNS has a full and accurate representation of my social graph. But anecdotal information won't help us establish which SNS currently has the most accurate representation of more users' social graphs. In fact, I would think that actually measuring that might be quite difficult. *If* all of the data (XFN and FOAF) are out there then it seems that Google's approach might actually be a really good one. I guess we'll find out shortly...