Marketing Pilgrim's "Social Media" Channel

Sponsor Marketing Pilgrim's Social Media Channel today! Get in front of some of the most influential readers in the Internet and social media marketing industry. Contact us today!
by
16 Comments

TechCrunch Among First to Adopt Facebook Connect

posted on December 4, 2008


As we’ve already reported, it looks like Facebook Connect will be taking off after all. Facebook Connect gives you the ability to log into other websites via your Facebook account, track what your friends are doing on those sites, and also broadcast the comments you make on those sites in your stalker friend feed.

Although Facebook Connect is still in its infancy (it launched on November 30, 2008), TechCrunch has decided to become an early adopter and roll it into their comments platform. Now when you want to post a comment on a TechCrunch blog post, all you’ll need to do is login to your Facebook account and it will populate the rest of the data for you (name, email, website, etc). The next time you come back to comment, you’ll just have to press the “Connect” button and you’ll be logged in and ready to comment.

The one problem I have with Facebook Connect is that “your name conveniently links to your Facebook profile as well, making it easier for other commenters to get in touch with you and perhaps become your virtual friends.”

Personally, the last thing I want to do is open up my personal Facebook account to the hundreds of commenters on TechCrunch (or any blog for that matter). This seems like an open invitation for spam. Many people use Facebook as just another networking tool, and maybe that’s what Facebook wants us to do, but I’ve always preferred to pick and choose my Facebook friends carefully. Facebook opens up your life in a way other social networks don’t. I try and limit my Facebook connections to friends and family.

What do you think about Facebook Connect? Do you open up your Facebook account to people you don’t know?


Related Posts

Zemanta
  • http://www.marketing.fm Eric

    I think this is a good step for identity confirmation. By having a service people trust, you will also get higher participation. This will lead to more interaction on your site. I think surfacing facebook profile data is not a big deal because someone could find it anyway if they simply search around, navigate your blog, or do a little research.

    Eric’s last blog post..Google Friend Connect (there is a new widget in town)

  • http://www.socialmediawiz.com Shailesh Ghimire

    I have to agree with you here. I went on a facebook friend frenzy – and then started to realize that I didn’t want to open my life up to some of the “friends” I had made. I decided then that LinkedIn would be the place for professional contacts and Facebook would be for friends/family types – those I hang out with and have fun with etc. It’s made it a whole lot more interesting for me that way.

    So, I’m not sure Facebook Connect is something I want for myself. It could work for others who use Facebook differently.

    Shailesh Ghimire’s last blog post..Finding Your Way

  • http://franklinbishop.net/ Blog Expert

    I am not sure I like this too much. If it does take you to your facebook profile and that is way too easy for anyone to try to become your virtual friend. If they want to be your virtual friend you should make them have to look you up.

    Blog Expert’s last blog post..Blog Headlines That Kick Ass

  • http://www.ClickToClient.com Shama Hyder

    I think this was a natural next step.

    I am okay with it. It depends on your FB strategy (…if you have one). I have always had an open door policy. I use FB to allow my readers a more personal connection with me.

    That being said…I am always quick to remove if I smell foul play…or spam!

  • Kelly

    I love the idea that it could open up online conversations to a wider pool of participants. It certainly does up the stalker creepiness factor of the site, though.

  • http://www.seoresults.co.za/pages/seo-tools/ Jacques Seoman

    Facebook is definitely a more personal service. One doesn’t necessarily want your professional connections seeing all the mischief you get up to after hours!

  • http://www.webdesignbeach.com/ Web Design Beach

    No, i am pretty sure i will leave my Facebook account for private use only.

  • http://spudmobile.co.uk/guitar-hero-world-tour.aspx George Nobles

    I think you have really enjoy the facebook just like me and other.

  • Michael McGinnis

    If Facebook Connect threatens privacy more than OpenID, is it any more convenient?

  • http://www.evolvor.com/blog evolvor

    That’s why they have something called the Facebook “limited profile”, which let’s us control or allow certain people to see certain things. I only accept Facebook invites from people I have actually met (or have a professional relationship with), but get requests from people in the marketing and music world all the time. I add these people to my limited profile

    And I don’t ever get embarrassed when I get tagged in friends pictures – but that’s just ’cause I know how to handle my liquor ;)

  • http://www.anaokulumarketi.com Anaokulu

    I am okay with it. It depends on your FB strategy (…if you have one). I have always had an open door policy. I use FB to allow my readers a more personal connection with me.

  • http://www.davidrisley.com David Risley

    I connect with people I don’t know on Facebook all the time. I am a pro blogger and use it to connect to readers, biz contacts, family – whoever. And I juse use Friend lists to distinguish between them.

    As a blogger, you WANT to have a relationship with your readers. And Facebook is another great platform for that. I see no reason to artificially limit that.

    David Risley’s last blog post..Busy Blogger on The Go – Blogging From Anywhere

  • http://www.netage.co.za Goran Web Design

    Sounds like a nightmare.. personally I still enjoy the anonymity of the Internet

  • Pingback: Facebook Connect MUST HAVE for future Social Networks

  • http://themakemoneyfromhomeblog.com Kenney and Kim

    That’s pretty neat. My wife will love to give this a try. She huge on connecting online with friends and family. Especially because we go back and forth between Canada and US so much.

  • Pingback: Google Friend Connect, Twitter and me | Whatsup

Filed Under: Social