MySpace to add Facebook-esque applications

MySpace announced plans last week to allow for third party developers to create and design applications for the social networking website, similar to the plans carried out by Facebook earlier this year.

MySpace confirmed last week during the Web 2.0 Conference in San Francisco that a platform for development was in the making, but the official release and start date of the new application has not been given by Myspace.

The Myspace Application Programming Interface (AFI) platform will be open for all developers to create applications that will run within the Web site and be available for users to add to their profiles, said Chris DeWolfe, cofounder and CEO of MySpace during the Web 2.0 Conference.

"We are going to create a sandbox for two million beta users and our developers," DeWolfe said."The idea there is to make sure the applications are safe and secure and pass a certain level of value to get on the site. We expect the majority of these applications will make it onto MySpace."

Applications help developers advertise their products by placing direct links to their business on their application.

Facebook opened up its platform to developers for the creation of applications in April and has over 6,000 applications currently available.

"I think that this will cause a lot of users to steer away from MySpace," said Shawna Grayson, 25, of Morgantown, W.Va. "There is already enough going on with MySpace and current widgets and advertisements.

"It's annoying on Facebook, which means it's going to be annoying on MySpace, as well," she said.

"(These changes) are absolutely in direct response to Facebook," said Paul Gillin, new media consultant and author of "The New Influencers." "Myspace is simply taking a good idea and adapting it... for them, it is a no brainer."