The most disturbing thing about the current Web 2.0 environment is just how much of our user data is owned by closed shop companies, who basically can do what they like with it. The fact is we’re slowly returning to a walled garden world – Facebook as the new AOL? Very worrying, as this post demonstrates.
So it’s nice to know there are people trying to provide more open, free and non restrictive alternatives for us to use if necessary. Keep an eye on this Open Source Alternatives wiki just in case someone gets all funny with an important social network account of yours.
My worry is, what happens to all of that content when Facebook changes its terms and decides to wall off part of it or charge for it or turn my comments to my friends into advertisements for products I don’t endorse? What happens when Myspace turns that iMeem “Vampire Weekend” music playlist you made into an ad for Beyonce ringtones?
