MySpace Vs. Facebook: Who's Becoming Whom?

Every single day, millions log into MySpace or Facebook. Many of those millions log into both. It seems that the executives for both are fast realizing this, because the two sites recently have begun to take on each other's specifics. For the users, this is becoming increasingly frustrating. Obviously, most people will have a preference, but it becomes very annoying when all the things you dislike about the other suddenly start appearing on the other. Why can't we just co-exist in harmony. Here are some of the examples of MySpace becoming Facebook and vice versa along with the reasons why it is irritating to those that use those sites.

Opening to the general public. (Facebook becoming MySpace) I remember when I first logged into Facebook, it was an exclusive club. At first it was limited purely to University members of particular schools. Since then it has opened first to high school students, and now it is open to the general public. One of the things that was so great about Facebook was the privacy. Unlike with MySpace, where every message you receive has to be opened with the utmost precaution due to both Internet predators and hackers, Facebook was safe. With its opening to the general public, it is less so. Granted they have updated their options to include essentially hiding yourself from those you do not want to see you, it is not the same as the security you had in knowing that everyone had to have a school issued email to be part of the gentleman's club of sorts.

Stalkerbook (Myspace becoming Facebook) Within the past year, Facebook came out with the ability to get updates on everything your friends are doing. You can tell if they get a new friend. You can tell when they join a group. You can tell what events they are going to be attending. You can even tell how they are feeling with the addition of the status feature. Recently Tom posted a blog and bulletin discussing the addition of the same feature to MySpace. How incredibly awkward. As much as we all love our friends, we all have that person in the group that is obsessed with gossip and knowing everything. This feature allows people to be kept updated on your life to a stalker like level. Facebook even has a feature that allows you to receive text messages with this information. As a user of both, it is pretty upsetting when people know what people are saying to me, before I do. Even more so when they feel the need to pass along this information, to you and to everyone. Stalkerbook promotes the vicarious living of other people's lives. What do we call that again everybody? Oh yeah, voyeurism. Creepy.

Photos (Each becoming the other) Society is advancing everyday, as is the economy. It has become unnatural NOT to own a digital camera of some sort. As such, both sites are continuously updating your ability to post these photos. Recent additions include easier uploads, more photos allowed, album groupings, and the ability to "tag" friends in the photos. This is one of the few things that is truly for the benefit for the user for the two sites to adapt each others technology. In fact, this actually corrected a problem in MySpace. MySpace's interface did not allow for the advancement of photos just by merely clicking the picture (as Facebook does). Instead you would have to hunt down the next button, and invariably take even more time. Further more it was frustrating if you were used to Facebook, because you never remember to look for the next button. The only disadvantage of more readily accessed pictures, is that it makes it easier for embarrassing photos to appear.

Applications (MySpace becoming Facebook) Applications are the bane of any Facebook users existence. Every log on you will be asked by a ridiculous number of people to become a werewolf, show you affiliation to this, or to discover what color you are. The end result is that every page you attempt to visit is so logged down by multiple java applications that it takes forever to load even on a cable/dsl connection. I thought it was bad when people started adding all kinds of glitter images and such to their MySpace, but this has become far worse. Coming to a MySpace profile near you, are these very applications that make most of us want to rip our hair out. It was sort of neat, and I use that term delicately, to be able to add music to your profile or to be able to plan parties over the Internet. However a new craze has taken over, so now you can do such profitable things with your time as throw food at each other, tickle each other, and send each other random objects that come out of eggs. Additionally, Stalkerbook allows you to know whenever someone does something with an application. Just in case you were wondering how good someone is at TV show trivia or what mindless activity they spend far too much time taking a part in. I understand the notion of an all-inclusive website that allows me to do multiple things at once. However, there has to be a limit to the amount of ridiculousness the average person can take.

A Bulletin by any other Note would be just as enthralling (Facebook into MySpace) I actually don't have too many problems with bulletins (Myspace) or notes (Facebook), except for the amount of mindless content they usually contain. It's pretty frustrating when you thing someone is writing about, an important thing that is going on in their life, and really it's another survey. It is just too bad that neither site has been able to come out with the same kind of spam filters email has. It would make my life so much easier.

Perhaps I will discover a site more willing to keep it's own identity one day, but it is highly unlikely. I love ease of use, and I love fun new features. However, MySpace and Facebook really do need to ensure that the developments are for the benefit of their users and not to their detriment. Thus far neither site has added a feature that is a deal breaker for Internet users, but I'm sure it will happen one day. I just hope I never log in to see a watch your friends on webcam option, or a track your friends actions through GPS option.