Facebook Opens Up Even More
Facebook on Wednesday announced it will allow developers to transfer their applications built on the Facebook Platform to other social networks.
In a move destined to be seen as a counter to Google’s OpenSocial, Facebook will also license the tools and tags underlying the platform architecture to other platforms.
In effect, this will enable developers to cross-pollinate their applications developed on the Facebook Platform on any sites that have adopted the Facebook standards with no additional effort.
Without question, the trend of opening APIs is gathering steam across social networks.
Facebook’s announcement comes on the same day that Bebo, the popular British social networking site, announced the launch of its Open Application Platform, which will be compatible with both the Facebook Platform and OpenSocial.
Bebo is the first social network to implement the Facebook Platform standards; it will adopt OpenSocial in 2008.
Bebo had earlier announced that it would invite developers into its platform, but made the launch official with its gala event this morning in San Francisco. Inaugural development partners include NBC Universal, Yahoo and CBS, as well as perennial “widgeteers” Bantr, Jangl and Flixster.
On Monday, LinkedIn announced that it would turn over a set of APIs and widgets to select partners and that those partners would, in turn, be able to build applications on LinkedIn’s site using OpenSocial.