You can now log into the social network that nobody uses anymore with your username and password from the social network everyone uses. And with that, MySpace has pretty much given up on trying to be a social network in the interest of serving as a personalized entertainment site instead.
That’s actually pretty smart.
You can now not only log in with your Facebook credentials, but MySpace will create a basic profile for you and pull in the likes and interests from your Facebook account and leverage them to deliver customized content to you. You’ll also start seeing Facebook’s “Like” buttons all over MySpace, too.
(More: Two Minute Video: Facebook’s New Messaging System Explained)
The feature is being called “Mashup with Facebook.”
Per the press release:
“Users can visit Myspace.com and click on the Mashup with Facebook button to begin. In just a few simple steps, a basic Myspace profile is created and users can immediately begin building their personal profile based on information they’ve listed in their Facebook profile. Built into the feature are robust algorithms that help enable the discovery, expression, and connection to entertainment content for a user to customize their Myspace profile.”
Notice how the new MySpace has a lowercase S now. This is not the old MySpace. This is a new MySpace (I can’t bring myself to type the new S).
(More: New MySpace Design to Feature Less Eyeball Hurting)
Again, this is smart. Whether people actually use this with MySpace or not isn’t really the point. Any new social network-type site should follow this same plan. Nobody wants to take the time to set up a new profile anywhere and Facebook’s “Connect” feature lets people synchronize most of the important stuff with any site that integrates with Facebook’s data.
If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Or at least use their data to let people quickly set up accounts on your site.
More on Techland:
Facebook’s New Messaging Service: Please Don’t Call It E-Mail!
“CityVille” Facebook Game is Zynga’s Most Social Yet
The End Is Near: Will MySpace Sink After Departure Of Another CEO?