Caroline McCarthy stated that she was surprised about this recent study…

It’s true, though. Since the debut of Facebook’s developer platform, there has been an onslaught of annoy-your-friends applications like Slide’s SuperPoke and popular gaming apps like Scrabulous. But really “useful” applications have yet to make the same kind of splash, despite a few promising debuts like Six Apart’s Blog It and quasi-promising ones like the “social college application” widget.

99% of Facebook app invites that have been sent to me have been pointless - I don’t want to send cyber-drinks, zombies, or pickles.

Theodora Stites has written a fantastic article labeled, Someone To Watch Over Me (on a Google Map) which touches upon a half dozen social networking companies who directly impact her life every day. Sites that are realized in the article are:

• Myspace
• Friendster
• Dodgeball - good to see the site/service appear
• Facebook
• Match.com
• Nerve * not really part of the list
• Plazes
• Fark
• Geocaching

The most interesting part of the article focuses on why Theodora has multiple social networks. She explains it well, and honestly, it’s fascinating:

WHY, you ask, do I have to be a part of so many online communities? Isn’t it hard to keep track? I need to belong to all of them because each one enables me to connect to people with different levels of social intimacy.

Don’t know you but think I may want you to be part of my network? I’ll contact you through Match.com or Nerve. Just met? I’ll look you up on MySpace. Known each other for a while, but haven’t been in touch recently? Friendster message. Friends with my friends and want to get to know you better? Dodgeball or MySpace. Good friends and want to connect more often? Dodgeball. Really good friends? Instant Message.

Anyone involved in the social media space or investment realm should take a look at this article. It may be a bit slapstick or informal, but it does lay out some great thoughts into the social networking realm.

Tags:Â social networking, myspace, friendster, fark, dodgeball, facebook, and NY Times

When we think social networking, most of us can name Myspace.com immediately, but if you’ve graduated from college in 2003 or less, you probably can also name TheFacebook.com, or their newer name, Facebook.com.

A major advertising holding company, IPG (Interpublic Group of Cos.) is nearing a deal to purchase a 0.5% stake in the organization. IPG has 2 significant media agencies within: Initiative Media Worldwide and Universal McCann. R/GA is part of the holding company as well. Not only will IPG media agencies purchase their media on Facebook.com, but ideally, and I personally think they should use the platform to mine the data… forecast trends and understand what college and high school kids are doing and WHY. There is tons of data that they have… IPG can leverage this for their clients to provide valuable insights.

Denuo (Publicis) has hinted at M&A and investments in the media space but this would be an unexpected move by IPG who has been hurting financially lately.

Tags:Â Facebook, M&A, IPG, Social Networking, and community