The Progress Bar

Facebook applications are currently able to retrieve profile data at the click of a button.  The ability to re-use information is an initial step towards open profiles. Logical progression: changes made to data in applications are propagated back into Facebook. This is called bi-directional propogation. Soon enough, a FOAF application will show up in the Facebook Application Directory. Progress and interest in open profiles has been brewing for several years. It didn’t begin to reach critical mass until recently, as people are realized the downside of maintaining multiple version of photos, personal data and private information across scores of websites. Social graphs (why can’t we just call them networks?) (1), (2) are closely related to open profiles.

Let us all hope that websites continue to slowly release their stranglehold on our personal data and clickstreams. A vote for openness is a vote for opportunity.