MySpace in China and the Modular Social Network
|
Written By Kate Zimmermann | December 1, 2006 | Share This
|
|
Today the Wall Street Journal ran an article about a deal to bring Myspace to China. News Corp and International Data Group are “in talks” to set up a Chinese division of the networking site, with Murdoch’s wife, Wendi Deng, on the Myspace China board. Though plans aren’t definite, it’s clear that China is part of Myspace’s long term expansion of its global presence. The WSJ reports, “With its domestic growth slowing, MySpace has boosted international traffic this year by adding customized versions of its site in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, Germany, France and Japan.”
The degree of customization given to each version, however, is marginal. Like international versions of iTunes, the country-specific Myspace sites are primarily delineated by language and user-base. The French site has French music, Germans have German - but the inherent structure and content offering is the same.
Unlike iTunes, however, social networks are difficult to universalize across different cultures. No two cultural regions share a similar dominant network - Bebo in the UK, Orkut in Brazil, Cyworld in Korea, MIXI in Japan, Babbello in Australia, etc. Though they’re unified by the concept of social networking, each has a unique interface and set of customizable activities. In that sense, social networking sites are kind of like Tupperware - Different countries require different models for their cultural peculiarities. Just as people’s storage needs for their foods vary from country to country, so too do methods of sociability. (BTW - Fast Company has a cool article on international Tupperware). So, by approaching international expansion as a generic web service, Myspace may be overlooking the culturally-based elements of sociability that distinguishes it as a social network.
Since News Corp acquired Myspace, the site has noticeably drifted from its original functionality as “a place for friends”. First it let in the advertisers, then the TV shows, and now it’s trying to promote a one-size-fits-all model to an international audience. With each new level of dilution, Myspace detracts from its inherent social appeal. This is not to say that there is no international market for Myspace - but without a consideration for local cultural variance, their move into China (and beyond) might prove to be too much food for an already full network.
Topics: International, Social Media |
FoxSpace is the AOL of social networks,
it’s time will soon come, who wants a social network run buy FoxNews, not the peoples people, not me.