Too many social networks

Consolidation. That’s what needs to happen.

I found an invite this morning in my inbox to join Bebo, which I’m sure is a fine service with cool people bouncing around it, but I’m tired of signing up for new networks and getting new profiles. I’ve hit critical mass, or whatever it’s called.

I’ve already got profiles on Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, MyBlogLog, Consumating, and Last.fm. If people want to “connect” with me online, I’m inclined to tell them to pick one of the networks I’m already part of.

The problem is that social networks derive their value from having people as members - more importantly as active members. I’m the best example because I can’t seem to make myself really care that much, but I’d call myself an “active member” on two of the above services, and one of those is because it’s basically automatic so long as you keep reading blogs.

SixApart has the right idea with their OpenID setup - give people one user name and login for a number of services. With any luck something like OpenID will catch on with other providers so that people can really have one megaprofile that follows them around the different web services, instead of having to sign up and manage a bazillion individual accounts.