Month: May 2006

MEDIAWEEK — May 12 — The top 10 social-networking sites collectively grew 47% year over year, reaching 68.8 million users in April 2006, which represents 45% of all Web users, according to a Nielsen//NetRatings report.

IM PLANET.COM — May 11 — Myspace announced it's MyspaceIM for Myspace members. The network is closed to users on other public IM networks.

The full article was originally published at IMP.com, but is no longer available.

WICHITA EAGLE — May 11 — FriendsOrEnemies is for pop-punk music lovers. FoE focuses on content generated by a few VIP members who keep journals on the site and has ~40,000 users. TagWorld gives users one gigabyte of storage and allows user-generated tags. A one-stop shop for all the online services people use; blogs, photos, video hosting…nearly 1.5 million users.  Buzznet has ~200,000 users.

The full article was originally published at Wichita Eagle, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: Social networks are sticky by design, but social networking users are fickle like nightclub revellers.

PR NEWSWIRE — May 11 — Nielsen//NetRatings, announced that April’s top 10 social networking sites collectively grew 47% year over year, increasing to 68.8 million uniques in April 2006, reaching 45% of active Web users. MySpace had 38.4 million uniques and 367% growth. Blogger, #2, had 18.5 million uniques, growing 80%, followed by Classmates with 12.9 million and 10% growth. Newcomer YouTube and the more established MSN Groups rounded out the top five, with 12.5 million and 10.6 million uniques. Top 10 advertisersfor April 2006 were; Vonage, GUS, United Online, Netflix, LowerMyBills, Verizon, Apollo Group, NexTag, E*Trade and Scottrade. FULL ARTICLE @ PR NEWSWIRE

NEWS.COM — May 11 — A proposed federal law (Deleting Online Predators Act, or DOPA) would effectively require most schools and libraries to render Myspace and Facebook inaccessible to minors. "When children leave the home and go to school or the public library and have access to social-networking sites, we have reason to be concerned," Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Reublican. Rep. Mark Kirk, an Illinois Republican, is co-sponsoring the measure.

The full article was originally published at News.com, but is no longer available.

Mark Brooks: The mind will always drift to what is most interesting. Kids minds will always drift to Myspace/Facebook. However, this is meddlesome legislation…isn't it? Your comments please…

PR WEB — May 11 — Shark dating business software 1.0 is determined to make a dating business profitable. This is implemented via number of business tools…

Mark Brooks: OK, stop right there. I’ve seen a few of these Russian company press releases…and they’re scary. You MUST get your English right on your website, software and press releases to inspire any level of confidence in your software and services.