Dec 30, 2011

Google+ and unequal relationships

Much has been penned on google+ and its pros and cons. The one real problem with google+ is that it does not create equal relationships.

For example: If you accept a friend request on FB you both become each other's 'friends' and
can access atleast some content posted by the other. You also get to see the other party's friends who do comment, etc. This is how you can increase your own network. It's like being at a friend's party where you get to meet friends of friends. (Rarely do people accept friend requests and also block the new friend from accessing all of their content. Psychology.)

This does not happen with G+. If I add you I can only feed you with my posts. But I would still not have access to any of your's unless you add me, separately. Nor can I see who your friends are or add them as my friends. No network growth opportunities in short. And if the other person also does not add you to their circles, you start feeling left out.

Till google does not rectify this its chances of becoming a real networking platform are low. 

2 comments:

  1. I agree but increasingly people are becoming suspicious about how much access to give to whom. In the old FB, I had created 3 lists called "Formal", 'Mid Level" and "Close" with different access levels. Whenever I used to accept a friend request, I used to immediately put them under a category.
    This is not so easy to do in the new FB.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hmm.. that is true. FB has removed list management as such. Wonder why :(

    ReplyDelete