Privacy and International “Advances” on Facebook

 

Per this article in Fortune Facebook is launching a new privacy setting that allows users to limit the amount of their profile that is viewed by sub-categories of their friends.  In other words, your work friends won’t see the lewd pictures you post.  While this is a good advancement to enhance the user controls, we would lean towards the thinking that if you need to edit who views the photo, you probably shouldn’t post it anywhere.  This technology will be very useful if you can communicate with the sub-categories individually through messaging, bulletins, wall posts, etc. 

 As for the global expansion, this speaks to the utility factor about facebook.  Should the Intenation editions be as simple as translating the site into the countries language?  We have heard rumors about MySpace’s International plans and they are taking a much more tactical approach.  MySpace will create a team of people on the ground within the native country.  Their job is to create a site full of relevant content, phrases, slang and overall experience specific to that country.  We think that MySpace’s methodology will prove more successful in foreign countries and deliver a more relevant and unique experience for users.