– LiveJournal adds telephony: Social net site LiveJournal has introduced VOIP and IM services. Gizmo’s software for LJ Talk is a free download that supports free calls from PC to PC, landlines and mobiles, and also allows users to record voice posts on their LiveJournal pages.
— MySpace/YouTube spawn social net add-ons: Research by Neilsen//NetRatings tracked the new ecosystem of teen social nets. Sites like PLyrics.com, Snapvine and WhateverLife.com offer add-on services to the big social network sites, like site templates, song lyrics and images. “MySpace and YouTube have spawned a vibrant online ecosystem,” said chief analyst Ken Cassar. Research also found that teens spent an average 26 hours 48 minutes online during September.
— Political candidates use social nets: Social nets are being infiltrated by political candidates ahead of November’s elections. MySpace has had “a huge uptick” in political activity this year while Facebook itself established 1,400 profiles for candidates, 300 of which are updated by candidates’ staff. Facebook marketing director Melanie Deitch said ten percent of its users read political features and the site offers a way to reach younger voters.
This article originally appeared in MediaGuardian.
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