Microsoft in talks with Facebook ??!!!
According to the Wall Street Journal, it appears software giant Microsoft is seeking to claw back some of the advertising revenue from Google, by making a minority investment in social software company Facebook.
Depending on the degree of influence Microsoft seeks to gain, there are potential real downsides to this move, not least of which is the potential for facebook to lose its free-flowing open additions of micro-applications, like scrabulous (online scrabble game).
A further potential downside lies in whether or not Microsoft would start to remove some of the privacy safeguards currently in place in Facebook – at the moment, users can choose what is displayed publicly and what remains to be shared only with friends. I doubt people would want facebook to start acting like Quechup.
At this stage, however, it looks as though Facebook may hold out for a while as it is doing pretty well by sticking with its core business and providing a free-wheeling spontaneous place for people to meet each other and exchange pokes, sheep, flowers or even the odd haggis!
Thanks to Beth Kantor for pointing out this article 🙂
