Report: MySpace to launch news feeds very soon
Reuters reported on Monday afternoon that social-networking site MySpace.com plans to launch a "news feed" feature in the near future.
The statement was made by Peter Levinsohn, president of MySpace parent company (and News Corp. division) Fox Interactive Media, at the Reuters Media Summit on Monday. "The concept of a news feed is something we are very focused on, and we'll be well down the path in the next 30 to 45 days," Levinsohn said at the summit.
The news feed, which provides a user with updates from the people on his or her friends list, was pioneered by MySpace rival Facebook. Originally seen as invasive and "stalker-ish," the news feed is now considered by many to be one of Facebook's chief innovations.
Additionally, Reuters reported, Levinsohn said that MySpace will start allowing its members to operate different versions of a profile for groups like family, friends, and co-workers. This is something that Facebook does not offer--though the company has hinted that it may be on the way--but more recent entrants like Plaxo Pulse do.
MySpace, to put it bluntly, is playing catch-up. It still leads the U.S. social-networking market in overall membership and traffic, but has come under fire for everything from design to usability to underlying architecture. In recent weeks, the company has opted to join Google's OpenSocial platform, potentially boosting its tech cred--and announced a targeted advertising program days before Facebook launched its "Social Ads."
Caroline McCarthy, a CNET News staff writer, is a downtown Manhattanite happily addicted to social-media tools and restaurant blogs. Her pre-CNET resume includes interning at an IT security firm and brewing cappuccinos. E-mail Caroline.
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