Google releases Social Graph API
The scenario:
EdTech geek finally joins YASN (Yet Another Social Network), in this case Twitter. Said EdTech geek now needs to find friends also using Twitter (and find a reason to use it) or else see it go the way of other social networks. Fortunately, some folks whom I virtually follow on a regular basis are already using it, so I check out their profiles and follow along. Uploading my Gmail account catches a few more friends, but this all feels pretty clunky.
Soon there will be a better way. Today Google announced their Social Graph API. Using 2 technologies I’ve never heard of – FOAF and XFN – Google will now be able to track my relationships like they track the linked relationships of webpages. They then open this information up to social network developers who can now make it possible for me to, say, find all my Facebook friends who are using Twitter.
Here’s the high level overview.
Thanks for the note, Kyle and the Twitter links. I only hope I have enough connections to make a tool like Twitter Karma useful to me someday.
Hey Clint, interesting post thanks for sharing. For me, his falls into the category of ‘sounds neat but how are the marketers going to use the data.’ Something to keep an eye on. I tried the demo but didn’t really get it.
A couple twitter related links for you Twitter as a Village
Or find out your Twitter Karma
By the way, found your blog through Alec Couros List of Canadians Edubloggers
After a couple of days with Twitter I am finding it interesting. I’m still in the lurking phase, watching how others are using it. It’s kind of like a combination of a miniblog and instant messaging. I’ve added TwitterFox add-in for Firefox, which makes it easy to follow the twitterverse and post messages. Having to go to the Twitter site to post and follow messages would be a pain.
Let me know what you think of Twitter. I’d be interested to hear any ed-tech applications – it always seemed to me like a great way for families or groups of friends to keep in touch… hey, how about groups of students… hmmm. Anyway – if and when I break down and join, I’ll friend you 😉