SOCML: A standardized social media data standard
I recently posted a proposal for a “Federated Social Network Data Standard” on the groups Wiki. I admit, that I have not searched the web thoroughly with respect to other initiatives like this; however, given the superficial research I have done, I have come to the conclusion that there are no open dialogs currently on this topic.
Over the next couple of days I will begin posting proposed technical specifications for the standard. I would like for everyone to contribute feedback and make suggestions/modifications.
The solution I am proposing is simple: we need to standardize social media content such that independent developers can create their own services that can share and aggregate data under a common standard. Much like the RSS format, this data standard should be open and free, not encumbered by patents, and be easy to implement.
I have posted more here:
http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/federatedsocialweb/wiki/SOCML_Proposal
http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/federatedsocialweb/wiki/SOCML_Standard
http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/federatedsocialweb/wiki/SOCML_Technical
Interestingly enough, our Listserv does not seem to be accepting any of my emails. I’ll be posting more technical specifications in the following days. For the most part it will be pretty free-form, so feel free to comment/add to it.
Christopher: I wrote a reply to your proposal here: http://waterpigs.co.uk/notes/934/
Hello.
I came here because I believe the power of data standards and contextualized data will change the world, for the better, and move us away from this world of noise, and depower loud snake oil salesmen.
This jibes well with what I am looking to do; a system of hooks- or applications which access systematically stored data of utmost privacy, other than where allowed by a super secure permissioning system. However, aggregate data would be available for certain social benefit usage..
In this schema, as has been proposed, the dominant database information (keys) are Time and Space, for classes of data People, Places Things and Organizations (so far), and provide storage space for all content generated for these.
I have several specifications that I believe will give a new social system the proper incentives for new users to onboard at a rapid rate, as well as a fun and aggressive campaign to build those communities and network effects early.
I also have a campaign I believe can net 150,000+ users in less than 3 months, through multi touch marketing.
I believe facebook and various social networks to be more vulnerable than ever; however what ever replaces it will have to provide significant upgrade in services, flash, bang, and draw in others quickly.
A rough proof of concept for Spatial/temporal connections and unprecedented data sharing exists.
Email,, and I will share.
I need advice, and technical co-collaborators…
prince.darrell@gmail.com
I want to recommend that you consider using the “JCR” (Java Content Repository) standard as the means for “addressing” resources (content), and also storage, in any new Federated Social Web standard. I have been focused on this type of effort independently for 3 years, and am headed exactly in this direction with meta64.com. I have recently Open Sourced meta64, a JCR Browser, which is “Mobile-First” (JQueryMobile), and can easily become the type of “Social Web App”, that the FedSoWeb community needs. Having a sort of “Reference Implementation” for a front end (browser) that can demonstrate the viability of all the standards proposals would be really great. We could evolve the Meta64 browser (rebranded to differnet name if you like) into something perfectly adapted to prividing a reference type implementation for the ideas of FedSoWeb. Apache Oak JCR is really an amazing technology especially with Lucene and MongoDB on the backend. The performance and scalability of those technologys is well known, and meta64 is built on them (thru Oak). I may turn this into a longer blog post to hopefully share with the entire community.