Jim Benedetto, Vice President of Technology for MySpace, presented a technical overview of MySpace’s Developer Platform. The presentation covered where MySpace is now and where they are headed in opening up the MySpace API.

MySpace has had a history of a strong ecosystem

• Youtube , Photobucket, Slide, RockYou are all examples

MySpace values are driving there developer platform.

• Minimal creative restrictions
• Encouraging self expression
• High level of customizability
• Beneficial to user, developers

MySpace API overview

OpenSocial APIs

• javascript/html for embedded apps
• with myspace extensions

REST APIs

• server to server comm
• Oath authentication

Actionscript APIs

• flash support

Why OpenSocial?

Openness

• openness key to Myspace success
• openess helps everyone

Portability

• developers can spend more time building a great product rather than rebuilding for every social network

Leveraged existing technologies

• no need to lerrn proprietary development languages

OpenSocial Support

• full support of public spec
• currently support V0.6 with support for V0.7 soon
• MySpace specific extensions for MySpace specific features
  • bulletins
  • additional attributes for bands

Platform surface

• Profile surface
• Canvas surface
• User homepage surface (private space)
  • User specific surface
  • Enables the application to show specific data to a user
  • eg ebay bids, tweets from friends
• Application Gallery
• Application Profile

Security, Privacy and Safety
Applications will go through safety review process makes sure it doen’t spread bad or rogue code or viruses, keeps data secure and protects against rogue actions from other users

Apps will be governed by same privacy controls that are in place for members
will be using new technology to ensure that applications are safe for end ocnsumers

• Caja – MySpace and Google Joint Javascript Sanitizer
• Proprietary MySpace Technology

Balancing Virality and user Experience

Virality vs User Experience

• take long term approach to growth and distribution
• ensure clean applicaiton experience

Spam based growth is not needed for good applications

Measured approach to application growth

• Workflow limited to sending message 1 to 1

Restrictive early on, slowly increase communications channel

[tags]gspwest08, graphing social, MySpace[/tags]