Facebook Takes On Twitter With an Open API
By Anna Johnson on April 29th, 2009In a move, it seems, to take on Twitter, Facebook has released its Open Stream API to third party developers.
Many would agree that a significant reason for Twitter’s enormous popularity is its ‘open stream API’. This has given third party developers the ability to access and use the Twitter data stream in all kinds of creative ways. This, in turn, has spurred development of numerous Twitter based services.
Now, it looks like Facebook aims to emulate – or beat – Twitter by offering its own Open Stream API to developers.
Basically the Open Stream API allows developers to access Facebook’s real-time activity stream i.e. the flow of information and content on Facebook that appears on Facebook users’ home pages in the form of the ‘News Feed’ and on their profiles as the ‘Wall’.
The Open Stream API allows developers to connect to their users’ streams and let them read and interact with their streams wherever they want. To this end, developers will be able to build user interfaces for web, mobile and desktop applications.
By introducing the Open Stream API, Facebook presumably aims to attract lots of developers who will build lots of interesting applications incorporating Facebook’s stream. Presumably, this will not only assist Facebook achieve further market penetration, but also offer users an alternative to Twitter in terms of conversing and interacting with others.
Facebook’s move has at least three implications for Internet marketers. Firstly, if Facebook does challenge Twitter’s dominance as the most popular ‘conversation’ platform online, you’ll probably want to monitor and/or participate in Facebook as much as you do Twitter.
Secondly, if you’re technically inclined, you may wish to jump into the application development fray, and develop your own application that interacts with Facebook’s real-time stream.
Finally, it should be just plain interesting and fun to watch how the marketing battle between Facebook and Twitter plays out!
For more information on Facebook’s Open Stream API visit the Facebook Wiki for Developers.
