GigaOM Pro

Some recent online items are making me wonder about the potential for niche social networks. Traffic data grimly underscores how far Myspace has fallen, while United Online is scrambling to re-invent Classmates.com as a nostalgia content site. But Disney sees a role for a kids-safe social network, and I’ve written earlier about how Myspace could regain some of its relevance. It seems logical that human beings have different networks for different contexts – work, movie tastes, music, local activities, school, etc. Facebook Groups notwithstanding, Facebook has absorbed many of those networks for people, but mingled them perhaps too much. I think open APIs and social graphs will enable niche networks, but maybe I’m just being optimistic.