MySpace, the startup killer
MySpace has a message for startups: It's our space, not yours. The social networking site has forced the shutdown of DatingAnyone.com, a site that alerted its users to changes in the "relationship status" of designated MySpace members. TechCrunch notes that this is the second startup MySpace has killed in as many weeks. Last week a similar site called SingleStat.us shut down due to MySpace's legal threats after less than two weeks in existence.
In MySpace's "cease-and-desist" letter -- which DatingAnyone founder Jared Chandler posted on his shuttered site -- MySpace ticks of several concerns, notably that Chandler's "automated script" would put an undue burden on its servers, and that its terms of service expressly ban the commercial use of user information. All valid points, but, as Chandler writes, "it's unfortunate that there is no avenue for outside improvement of MySpace." He even suggests that allowing a broader community of developers to create enhancements for the service might help solve the problem of sexual predators, and TechCrunch readers seem to side with him. Writes one: "Pathetic! MySpace is destroying the innovation here! Their reasoning is ridiculous. People should be aware of this evil approach of MySpace!" MySpace is shooting themselves in the foot. Certainly, the issues are complex, but opening up its site as a "platform" would allow third-party programmers to expand MySpace's features -- and lock in its status as the top social-networking site. Look at how Google made Google Maps so popular by opening it up to outside programmers. Are we missing something? Should MySpace open up? Leave a comment below. I absolutely believe that MySpace should open up to others. It can only help further the online community.
if i build a house should i let my neighbors put in a pool?
Ebay also. Financial predators abound there.
Ebay protects them and helps them with green pluses of questionable value. cash is king...they shouldn't profit off of myspace without giving them a substantial portion of their profits.
i understand furthering the online community, but don't expect free handouts. I would think MySpace would welcome competition and start-up businesses which seek to build upon the social-networking foundation they have created. I highly doubt shutting down direct or indirect competitor sites would be worthwhile to MySpace in the long run.
Wouldn't you know it. As soon as you get something that is as good and works as well as MySpace, corporate greed will inevitably ruin it. No doubt MySpace will be pressured, blugeoned and coerced into making the site a whorehouse for corps. - Leave something good alone for once !!
Isn't shuttering forms of competition what Capitalism is all about??..Think America, Think...Convoluted tasks to an already SUBSTANTIALLY SOCIETAL PROVEN website service is STUPID, not to mention insane...Capitalism is about the Bottom Line...The company that owns and operates this bottom line has ever right in the world to deny access unless they recieve profit from the parasite...Make Sense?
My Space may be fun but as a lot of things that are fun it can also be dangerous. It should not be allowed to block other chat businesses and shut them down.
That is what Microsoft was in a heated court over this. I would like to see more chats rooms open. If it is for singles.chat I don't see how My Space can complain. My Space doesn't check out the people who join it, nor monitor what is said. Were I owner of these businesses I would attempt a class action against MySpace. I might let my neighbor put in a pool if my house was meant for commercial purposes
Nah, screw 'em. They just won't win out in the end.
Stop crying. Welcome to capitalism. Just because you didn't think of the idea first doesn't give you rights to intrude. As one person comments, just because one neighbor has a pool, you don't have free access to it. I'm sure if paid Myspace, they'll let you in. Until then, stop crying.
I should clarify something in this post. There was no commercial aspect to DatingAnyone.com. The service was entirely free for its users. The C&D sent to DatingAnyone.com was almost identical to the one sent earlier to SingleStat.us. The "commercial" reference seems to be a leftover reference to some aspects of SingleStat.us.
Capitalism is king. MySpace.com should do whatever it can to protect its property.
Those that are intelligent enough can figure out other ways to make money without MySpace.com Microsoft opened up Windows to outside programmers. Apple did not. Who has the bigger market share? This is a no-brainer, folks.
People who want to contribute and improve on social networking should consider building on top of an existing open source application, Appleseed, that allows anyone to set up his own server and connect with other servers on the net. Why help build MySpace or whomever into a more powerful platform, when you can add your weight to the open source camp instead? Appleseed can be found at http://appleseed.sourceforge.net/
Not surprised after learning just 48 hours ago the umbrella that MySpace belongs to.... NewsCorp, aka Rupert Murdock.
For the people who think that it's not fair for people to profit off of MySpace's (public and free) data, it should be noted that Google (and all other search engines) profit off of indexing the information on billions of (public and free) pages... If DatingAnyone chooses to index MySpace content in a different way, I don't see a huge ethical difference.
myspace is a joke. it is a magnet for sexual preditor. i will not allow my 5 girls to even go near this site. i'm going to do what i can to get this site shut down.
Ads by Google, visible on screenshots, are proof of the existence of the commercial aspect of the DatingAnyone.com. It is obvious that someone had an idea to mine myspace.com data and make some $$ off of that. Which is the same thing search engines do. If MSN, Yahoo and Google are allowed to harvest and distribute MySpace.com content DatingAnyone.com should be allowed to do the same.
In the interest of giving interested parties as much information as possible, I've posted the emails I sent to Myspace regarding DatingAnyone.com on the site.
whatever happened to private property rights? why doesn't anyone talk about those in these endless debates?
it's myspace's webspace, they pay for the servers and bandwidth, and they clearly say no commercial use. if they come to an agreement with an outside provider, then both sides win. it's amazing to me that people think that human rights can just be bypassed in the brave new digital world - or anywhere else. Didn't Myspace get bought by Rupert Murdoch? Do you expect him to be nice? For example is Fox news nice to anyone who disagrees with the boss?
I think myspace is smart for not cutting up the pie. It would just lead to companies making money for features that myspace will end up adding for free. If these developers were in it to help for good intentions they could message tom with the ideas, but they wouldn't make anything off that so you can see why they are so negative.
If MySpace doesn't improve its ways, it is going to get passed up by companies like Zoints (Zoints.com) and Tagworld (TagWorld.com) which are social networking sites that seem to be MUCH more in tune with allowing outside developers to partake in improving their offerings.
MySpace might end up finding themselves in the same position as AOL. A once powerful titan relegated to increasing obscurity and a diminishing memberbase. What do you expect? MySpace is 'by losers, for losers'. Does anyone really care?
I agree that Myspace shouldn't be so damn cruel. However, at the same time, as a Myspace user I A) don't like the idea of taxing their already taxed servers, or B) Have my personal information used for other's financial gains.
MySpace is obviously under poor management if it has chosen this route. It may be the largest site social networking site but who knows where it could lead with a platform setup. Even Apple has allowed for third party products. Ipods might not be what they are today without this. Myspace should lead the wave of the future and expand its simple social site into something great.
Myspace will just die and blow away like all the other businesses throughout time that have stifled innovation through their profiteering. MySpace deserves a slow and painful death due to the lack of creativity and ingenuity required to keep this generation paying attention to their slow, buggy, error filled solution for social networking.
I'm sure if Myspace thought it made business sense they would look into and expand. However, I am of the same mindset that the other gentleman a couple of lines above me is in; if I build a house am I suppose to let my neighbor put a pool in the back that benefits him more than me?
As far as the predatory issues go, I'm sure MySpace is working on a fix for that,but this beggars the question. Why do we constantly look for someone other than ourselves to police and raise our children? If you have a computer hooked up to the internet, put the proper tools in place! The answer is simple, MySpace is faced with growing competitors ie Facebook etc. if they allow an open platform they will also allow competitors to tap into more resources. Also decreasing there profits due to an increasing number of beneficiaries.
Myspace was right in doing this for these two paticular programs. One could imagine all the messages someone could get if they change their status to single. Imagine if you were a 14 year old girl; you change your status to single and all the sudden you have fifty guys over thirty pretending to be Eighteen and under E-mailing you.
Really, who gives a crap about how these sites are structured (except those of you who do and will have financial gain from any of these sites. Most end users probably really could care less. Heres an idea, "Find something else to whine about and stop trying to gain support from those of us who care the less". GREED GREED GREED GREED GREED is what its all about. If MySpace chooses to do what it wants with whats theirs, guess what, its their right. GET YOUR OWN SPACE AND STOP BEING SUCH A WHINER, WHINER.
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