Deniz's Input for Myspace

1. Does Facebook pose a substantial threat to MySpace?


Exactly. Facebook is increasing its audiences dramatically. Actually the threat from facebook is not just related to numbers. Moreover the quality of the web site is also another threat for Myspace. Since the early stages of Myspace, the security / privacy concerns of the audiences were not guaranteed by Myspace. However for the Facebook , the core of all web site was built up on the privacy of the costumers. For the security and privacy issues, facebook is offering the site users some options to choose out of some security concerns to keep their personal info(even e mail and cell phone ) or page out of the people who they do not know(or who are not in his/her network). For Myspace, for a certain level, the site is encouraging people to enlarge their networks which is decreasing the safety of the people.
Incidentally, another ‘quality’ issue is related to the ‘education level’ of the web site users. For Facebook which took its roots in Harvard University, the membership requirement is based on the large university/college/faulty web and even sometimes to join a network, the auditors have been asked for their faculty e mail addresses. As mentioned in the case, this application has certainly increased the quality of the auditors. On the other hand, Myspace aimed to increase the network of the people, by enriching it upto the teenagers and even to the kids.
Besides all there are some other reasons that Facebook is challenging Myspace. This can be clearly understood by the outbreak of Facebook in whole the world in recent years. So Facebook is and will be a threat for Myspace definitely.
2. Should MySpace join OpenSocial or invest in its own developer platform? It sounds me better for Myspace to develop its own developer platform. It seems that Myspac has already its back ground and name. Although it has a severe competitor like Facebook, Myspace has still better situation in terms of quantity which the recent surveys showed. (however it is certain that facebook will catch up soon if Myspace does not take any action) Myspace , may develop its service quality by this way and can differentiate itself still. By doing so thay can also plese their current users too, hence they have a considerable numbers of members in hand, already. Moreover Google s opensocial is on developpng process and nobody can guarantee the success of this participation..