Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Google Introduces Facebook Competitor, Emphasizing Privacy - NYTimes.com

Now it’s time for Facebook to go into counter-FUD mode, e.g., to clearly explain options for private sharing among groups (already available in Facebook) and to simplify Facebook’s privacy settings.

Analysts say that Facebook users are unlikely to duplicate their network of friends on Google+ and post to both sites, but that they could use them for different types of communication. Google+ could also attract Facebook holdouts who have been uncomfortable sharing too publicly.

“Can someone eclipse Facebook in terms of its hold? It is a fantastic broadcast mechanism,” said Charlene Li, a social media analyst and founder of Altimeter Group, a technology research firm. “But if Google becomes the owner of your private groups, it’s going to be a splintering of our social lives.”

Google Introduces Facebook Competitor, Emphasizing Privacy - NYTimes.com

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