TechFold - Bold tech & web commentary

Bold tech & web commentary

TechFold is technology discussion, commentary, reviews, and opinions from well outside the valley. There's no koolaid to drink here, and TechFold is not in SL, or on Twitter.

LinkedIn to announce Knee-Jerk reaction to Facebook

LinkedIn has announced that over the next 9 months they’re going to be releasing API’s for developers to build off of. The timing of the announcement and execution scream “knee jerk” to me.

Despite historical and continuing growth, LinkedIn is under direct threat from Facebook in the professional-networking market. Facebook gets more users and more functionality, its network effects are going to push hard at other social networks. And Facebook’s demographic is going to steal more and more from LinkedIn as their core college market matures and graduates into the workforce - taking Facebook with them.

Mathew Ingram describes the situation even more aggresively, asking “Is it too late for LinkedIn to catch Facebook?” TechCrunch thinks LinkedIn may have life in it yet, but points out that Facebook’s openness makes it a compelling one-stop shop. ParisLemon thinks there’s an opportunity for Facebook and LinkedIn to combine forces. IdentityWoman points out that LinkedIn is passive whereas Facebook’s focus on daily interaction promotes daily use.