A Dating Site That Doesn't Need Its Own Site

from the all-about-Google dept

People are starting to realize that Google is more of a platform than just a search engine. With all the focus on social networks these days, Google still doesn't search in those networks. So, one company is trying to use the power of Google and public websites to build their own open social networking dating site. Basically, they get you to fill out a typical dating profile, which generates some metadata that you include on your own website. Then, they've apparently built out some sort of front-end that uses Google to search sites that include that metadata. What's unclear is how they make sure that Google will index the right sites that include the data. The business model for the company is to show Google's contextual ads along with the results. It's an interesting idea, but I wonder how comfortable some people are with putting that sort of info on the "publicly" available web. While it's really not all that different than on a dating site, a dating site at least is somewhat hidden behind a protective barrier, and lets the user hide some of their info. Update: Ugh. As is pointed out in the comments, the site is going a bit overboard in trying to fend off competitors by claiming they'll sue the pants off anyone who dares to use their metadata tags. If you're going to do that, why bother putting your content on the open internet? This just screams for someone else to create their own, truly open version.
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  • identicon
    Adam, 4 May 2004 @ 5:13pm

    Don't even THINK about competing with their ID sys

    From their site (http://www.socialgrid.com/id-system.html)

    Warning to Copycats & Clones
    SocialGrid has retained one of the top intellectual property law firms in America. Everything on this site is copyrighted and trademarked, including our search and coding system. Our patent application claims coverage on searches for all complex objects using Internet search engines. Our goal is to ensure a search system that will be free to our members and keep individuals and corporations from profiting by charging for searches. We will marginalize every profit margin. There is no money to made in creating another ID coding system. The world needs only one system. If necessary, we will give SocialGrid and the patent to Google to insure one standardized coding system. Any copycats and clones will have to answer to Google. Please be advised that any copyright, trademark, and patent infringement will result in legal action.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Bart, 4 May 2004 @ 11:52pm

    No Subject Given

    They are spamming google for the term "Dating". Have a look at the bottom of their homepage, nothing but links with dating-this, dating-that and the actual pages don't have any content.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    NOBODY, 5 May 2004 @ 7:08am

    No Subject Given

    Mike.
    The bigger issue here is their obvious pending patent that will essentially give them a monopoly on meta data. I find this very disturbing.

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Frank, 5 May 2004 @ 7:16am

    still would beat match.com

    If all they wanted to own was a search code that goes on my web site source code, I don't think I'd have a problem with that. It would still beat the other dating sites, where users give them all of their content for free AND the site subsequently owns all the content AND then the site charges substantial fees for merely accessing contact info about other people. However, if this new system starting demanding to own all the content of any web page that includes their search code, THAT would be a big problem for me. I see a more likely situation being that this new system will start requiring that if I put their metatag search code on my site, I also have to put up one of their banner ads on my site. That's how most sites usually get small home pages to include their stuff...

    link to this | view in chronology ]

  • identicon
    Philipp Lenssen, 5 May 2004 @ 9:33am

    No Subject Given

    Thanks for the note -- I covered this at http://blog.outer-court.com

    link to this | view in chronology ]


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