google + is Google’s newest attempt at creating a social network, and this time they are gunning for the biggest socialite of them all, Facebook. The Internet behemoth has learned a few valuable lessons from their previous attempts (Buzz and Wave), and now look to change their conception of social networking, breaking away from the “friend-accumulation” that has become social interaction, in favor of something more natural that pays homage to how we already think of our friends. Google does this through the use of their new clique system “Circles”, which allows users more control in broadcasting their information, giving them the ability to share information with select groups while keeping it private from others. While this is certainly a radical change to the already tried and true method instilled by social networking giants MySpace and Facebook, the formula seems to be working, as recent statistical information estimates that the site already has 18 million registered users. This is no small feat for a service that is only three weeks old and still in its limited field trial.

Google +’s instant success is no fluke; the site’s recent surge in attention is a direct result of their ability to address the preexisting problems that exist with inter-web social networking. Social networking has come a long way, irrevocably changing the way that we socialize, but there still remains one problem … the way we share information on the web is clunky and unnatural. While we are given the ability to instantly share information with one another, our ability to control that information is limited. Google addresses this stating:

Google looks to achieve this goal with a host of new functions that will help revolutionize social networking. Besides the impressive addition of “Circles”, Google + also looks to introduce “Sparks” and “Hangouts”. Sparks is a new function that allows people to converse together over common interests and subjects. From what Google is describing about this function it sounds like Facebook Groups on steroids, allowing the users a sense of fluidity as interests are imported to (select) circles of friends and constantly updated via their feed. Hangouts on the other hand aims to create a more natural means of video communication. Google feels that other video conference methods are messy; Google reiterates

Thus Google created Hangouts where users can instantly meet up with different friends from a particular circle. By entering the “hangout” users will be immediately placed in a video conference with all other friends from this circle that have also decided to enter the hangout. This new system removes the hassle awkwardness of having to constantly call and import friends in video chats to talk. This new natural and controlled system could prove to be a possible rival for the popular video conference application Skype.

Google + certainly has a lot to offer, introducing and capitalizing on new advancements that could help change the way we think about online social networking. The question remains however, will these new additions be enough to persuade people to leave Facebook? While Facebook may not have as many bells and whistles as Google +, it still maintains that sense of familiarity. We are comfortable with Facebook and all are friends are already there. So do we really want to take the risk of leaving behind our established social network in hopes of a better one?

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