This week has seen some interesting developments concerning two of Web 2.0's biggest stars; YouTube and MySpace. While MySpace unveiled its rival to Facebook's Platform system (more on this later), YouTube announced the launch of its Partner Programme in the UK. The scheme will enable users to earn money from their videos by becoming 'YouTube Partners', qualifying them for a share of revenue generated from advertising that runs alongside their videos, proportional to the popularity of their clips.
Initially tested in the US, the programme promises to consolidate YouTube's superiority as the number one video-sharing website, despite the huge success of Facebook's own video application (which does not operate a similar feature). The significance lies in the fact that YouTube now offers potentially great financial incentive for users with high-quality original, creative content to make it exclusive to YouTube. The move should work to ensure that the site won't become simply a stand-alone alternative to Facebook's video app (which in all other respects is very similar in terms of what it offers users). Perhaps what now seems more likely is that YouTube's move could relegate the Facebook video app to a tool more for sharing home videos between friends, while YouTube attracts the work of new and established video performers, comedians, and bedroom celebrities worldwide (the scheme will also soon be expanded to Europe).
Now onto MySpace's own response to the rise of Facebook: MySpace Platform. Essentially based on the same principle as Facebook's own system, MySpace Platform will allow third party developers to create 'Widgets' for MySpace, which users can add to their profiles. Having initially closed themselves to outside developers (despite considerable interest), the site's co-founder Chris DeWolfe has now admitted that in hindsight this move represents a miscalculation. However, with MySpace's change of approach and the launch of its own Platform the current issue becomes one of which system will prevail: Facebook is currently well placed having over 15,000 different applications already, though fewer users worldwide (63 million to MySpace's 200 million) - albeit a much greater current rate of growth in this department. There is also the potential issue of Facebook's independent status (ideologically attractive perhaps to small DIY developers), and history of acceptance towards such developers that might tip scales in its favour when compared with the Rupert Murdoch-owned MySpace.
Inevitably the coming months promise an exciting period of innovation as the two rival sites attempt to develop original features to attract new users, now suddenly faced with two quite similar services. What is already apparent is that, despite Facebook's rapid success and recent media attention, MySpace is still formidably placed to once again re-establish itself as the number one online social networking website. With this announcement the company seems finally to have shaken off its earlier reluctance and made a definite step towards a long term survival beyond its initial (and relatively unchallenged) period of dominance. With other sites such as Bebo now also releasing their own platforms, the balance of power lies perfectly poised; which site can now distinguish itself from the pack by offering users (and developers) something different and attractive?
Dejan Levi
