Wolf Tracking

On Thursday, MySpace introduced a data-sharing initiative that will allow users to put their profile information on Websites across the Internet, marking a new level of inter-connectedness that is currently unmatched in the world of social networking (although Facebook did have their Beacon endeavor). This “Data Availability” project will feature partnerships with Yahoo, eBay, Twitter and Photobucket and simply put, will allow a user to import their MySpace information between destinations thereby eliminating the ever grueling task (sarcasm noted) of recreating your likes, dislikes and contact information four different times on four different sites.

In every way, this initiative is a step to decrease the island of autonomy around each website dedicated to social networking, and is similar in goal, but with marked differences, to Google’s OpenSocial initiative which allows social applications to be applied and built across many websites, which is a bit more focused towards developers than the “every-person” (in fact MySpace is a part of that initiative as well…what a tangled virtual web we weave). And in addition to OpenSocial, on Friday Google answered the MySpace call of Data Availability a bit more explicitly announcing the launch of Friend Connect, with more details about the initiative to follow today. Although I do have both a MySpace and Facebook page and am considering joining twitter, I have to admit I am not the most dedicated social networker. Regardless, this news fascinates me on a variety of levels. It brings up questions I have posed before, how can we protect privacy, legitimacy and authenticity in a rapidly evolving digital and virtual world dedicated to shattering the boundaries and walls that separate us? And is privacy even a concern any longer in an age where we almost expect to have a world of information at every click or opt-in?

It may seem like a far jump, but because I was reading news of the MySpace initiative in conjunction with news of the devastating disaster in Myanmar I began to think instantly if there were any parallels—I promise this is not as tangential and far off as it seems. I began to think, this world of inter-connectedness is a fascinating advancement in the digital age, but does it offer anything to connect us to one another when it really counts?

As you most likely know by now, last Saturday a cyclone with 120 mph winds slammed into the coastal towns of the Myanmar and rapidly destroyed, drenched, and flooded villages throughout the country. Since the devastation was first reported the death toll has begun to rise, with some accounts putting the number of dead near 100,000—and the world has been clamoring to help. Bill Gates’ foundation offered three million dollars for relief amidst calls for world cooperation in the efforts, the U.N. began delivering food, water and other necessities on Thursday and Friday only to halt efforts after Myanmar seized all shipments meant to aid the hunger stricken and sick survivors, and the country is refusing relief workers and placing the Visa’s of U.N workers in a frozen zone of non-approval. And today, many shipments are still being blocked as the US is trying once again to deliver the much needed aid. We are now living in a world that offers us the chance to connect to one-another without limits, but we cannot get into a country to provide aid that everyone knows is needed and this could amount to one of the greatest natural and humanitarian disasters of our time. But I digress.

In many ways finding common ground between these events seems like a stretch, but I think it does beg us to ask the question, is there any way to use our virtual and digital developments to help in times of need? If anything, I believe the blogosphere and even social networking sites have a unique ability and perhaps even a duty, to disseminate information about these types of disastrous events, raise awareness and offer a call to action that will likely reach more people than ever before, think of it as a virtual grass roots effort. After all, as the old adage says, knowledge is power—and after doing a search of blog related discussion about these events, I am left hoping the murmur of awareness becomes a scream.

For more information on how to help with the disaster in Myanmar, please visit the following organizations:

• Oxfam America
• World Food Programme
• UN Refugee Agency
• International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
• UNICEF