Microsoft to Launch a Myspace for Parents

Teenagers might have to allow mom and dad on the computer more often in the near future. Many teens spend several hours a day on popular social networking site Myspace. Parents are able to join Myspace, but find it difficult to communicate with other parents because the site is mainly teen oriented. It appears though that there will be a site coming soon that is fully dedicated to parents. Microsoft veterans are developing and launching a website that will bring parents together to communicate and share stories for free.

Cozi Central is being created for parents to use and the site will operate on the same premise as Myspace. Parents will be able to join the site for free and create profiles that help express their personalities. They will be able to add other people who are their age and meet those who may be looking for friends. Cozi Central, will be making its first big marketing push in January, offering social networking for parents - with 50 million households as potential users by 2010, according to research analysts at the Diffusion Group.

Myspace has grown to be one of the most popular and successful websites today. The site grew to be so popular that it outgrew its original owners. Rupert Murdoch saw an opportunity to help advertise his brand and purchased the company last year. They continue to offer the free service that made the site a popular attraction in the first place. The hopes are that the Cozi Central project will take off just like Myspace did.

Robbie Cape and Jan Miksovsky are the founders of Cozi.. The pair are known among the technology industry for helping establish Microsoft Money. They believe the time has come for parents to experience the same craze that their kids have been enjoying for several years. "Don't tell me there's this huge spread of technology throughout the home, and all I get is a better TV-watching, music-listening, and gaming experience," Cape says. "We saw this role for software applications for the entire family."

Cozi will also allow families to establish networks. They will be able to all join and interact between one another. Emails and text messaging are some of the basic features that are going to be included in the launch of the site. Industry insiders believe that this concept may not be a hit right away, but will prove too irresistible to stay away from. Parents are often ignored when it comes to technology that is popular among teenagers. This an attempt to use the software made popular by Myspace with a different audience. The launch will come in the next few months and is sure to get a great initial reaction.

Sources used to create this article:

Money on CNN. "A MySpace for Mom and Dad." Online Publication.
February 13th, 2007. Internet Link: http://money.cnn.com/2007/02/13/magazines/business2/cozi.biz2/index.htm?postversion=2007021309