Friendly Disconnect

I’ve been waiting for this to go public ever since it was announced, and I’m really fascinated with using this new little tool Google hath so benevolently bestowed upon us; but as of yet I only see possibilities — and no tangible results.

This is probably because I’m lazy and don’t want to learn the API to build my own tools with Google’s Friend Connect. Also I trust that others will think of tools I can’t even fathom, and then will subsequently build these tools. Which I will subsequently appropriate for my own purposes.  Which are incidentally malevolent good-natured.

As of now, though, it kind of works like OpenID. That is, a universal log-in status. You can see it beginning in my sidebar. The intent is to turn any website on which the scripts are dropped into instant social networks. Networked, yes, currently, but social, not as much. I’ll give it some time, though.

What would I like to see?

• Wiring the universal sign in (à la Gravatar / OpenID) to blogs’ comment fields
• In the user interface after signing in, an ability to aggregate activity on joined networks (like when you’re on a GAWKER blog how you can see all of your comments if you click on your user name)
• Wiring into Ning networks (though I’m sure this would take little to no effort…)
• Oh, I dunno.  What if every little app on my iPhone was somehow loosely translated to Google’s Friend Connect?  HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER.
• Cross-networking, similar to FriendFeed, incorporating Digg, Del.icio.us, StumbleUpon, DeviantArt, etc.
• In-network messaging, via masked Gmail or masked GChat (eg., “Some Dude on FriendConnect site, RadDotComrades.com, sent you a message” vs. Getting an email from “Specific.Name@gmail.com”), but making it spam-proofed (“LargeHardOnCollider sent you a message”)
• Collaborative art projects
• All the other Google technologies wired into Friend Connect

Ah, well.  At least Google is taking a step in the right direction.  And on a personal note, I do trust Google to help lead us into the future.  They’re doing alright so far, and if you told people 15 years ago about what Google is doing, they’d freak out about privacy and a ubiquitous technology.  But we’re fine.  Shit hasn’t hit the fan so far.  Seriously, Google it.

As I see it sitting in my sidebar right now, however, I can’t help but feel that being an early adopter won’t pay off for a long time.  After all, people have to give a crap before it takes off.

Tags: connect, friend, google, network, social
Filed Under: Internet, Research & Development, Social Media