Why I Still Prefer Twitter and FriendFeed to Facebook
I spent the last three years managing the production of a number of social networking websites. During 2006-2007, I produced ZonaZoom, an ambitious (and now defunct) attempt to grab market share of social networking Latino teens in the United States. And I spent a grueling, rewarding year producing quarterlife.com in 2007 and early 2008, the home of short-lived NBC show quarterlife (I’m not including the direct link as the site looks far different now than the version I helped to bring to life.)
So that’s all to say that I dwelled in social networking land quite a bit over the last few years. But in my personal time I’ve never really been much of what might be called a “traditional” social networking person; I’m more of a microblogging/social media/information junkie kind of person, which has led to Twitter and FriendFeed and Google Reader becoming the hubs of my online media (so-called?) “social life.” So when I think about how I like to use the web, I’ve long thought of myself as more of a Twitter/FriendFeed/RSS person, and less of a MySpace/Facebook person.
This made all the sense in the world to me until recently… when methodically, relentlessly every single person that I know, have known, or knew in some former life friend-requested me on Facebook. I exaggerate of course, but it seemed like everyone from the dude I hung out with at woodworking class during a Boy Scout retreat in 1985 to my mother’s co-workers added me at some point recently.
(read the rest of this piece at louisgray.com)
