Social Networks at IST 2006 Helsinki

"Social networks are poised to shape the Internet's future, despite some skepticism about how they will make money. Social networks such as MySpace.com are already challenging traditional portals. MySpace, for example, has surpassed MSN and AOL by measure of monthly page views and its traffic equals roughly 75 percent of Yahoo's, the No. 1 site on the Web," I wrote 11/25/06 12:00 PM.

IST 2006 in Helsinki and the presentation of Affective Computing.

Business users are not the one's that will be looking at MySpace as their destination of choice. Social Collaboration comes in many choices and forms.

• Facebook emerged like from "nowhere" 2007
  

At the IST 2006 Congress in Helsinki I got an insight into CONSEN and what it could, might or should give innovative European microcompanies, SMEs and dispersed research communities.

• The use of microchannels wasn't an issue in Helsinki
• Blogging was still a new thing
• Wiki, yes, Mashup was a small issue
• Creative collaboration was more talk but the real action didn't start
  

The question remains how and if these companies make money, comparing the expectations around social networks and video sites like YouTube.com. Maybe this is leading to a version of the Internet bubble.

• Facebook emerged
• Twitter and Jaiku
  

The more niche oriented social networking environments can be monetized through funds, sponsoring, consulting or project financing. The consumer oriented social networking is quite a different game.

• Ning is the new thing 2008