Re:Facebook Bans Advertiser Pushing Google+ Follows
by MatthewPhillips on Monday July 18, 2011 @08:23AM
(#2775986)
Facebook is reacting to Google+ the same way they reacted to Twitter's rapid growth. They copied Twitter's features (basically reinvented themselves as Twitter for people you know IRL) and blocked Twitter from accessing the graph. Same thing here.
The problem is that Facebook isn't the late-90s Microsoft. They don't have the raw monopoly power to stop people from leaving for Google+, they need to persuade them. And every move they make to try and force people to stay (instead of enticing them) makes more people want to leave.
Perhaps the Ad ban story isn't what it seems, I'll reserve judgement on that. But it certainly fits the Facebook's overall Google+ pattern.
Contrast this with Twitter's reaction. Google+ circles can be used asymmetrically, so they're equally in danger. However, unlike Facebook, they've ignored Google+, at least AFAICT. When Google+ was announced I actually thought Twitter was in the weaker position, but I'm starting to think I was wrong.