"Friendster Developers Platform" launches

Following Facebook's lead, it seems that almost every other social networking site has announced its intent to create a developer platform for third-party applications, either as part of Google's OpenSocial or by going it alone (or both). However, very few have yet to deliver. Not so Friendster, reports News.com, with the social networking site having unveiled its own developer platform today -- dubbed "Friendster Developers Program".

At launch over 180 applications are available including offerings from Slide, RockYou, Imeem, Jangl, Clearspring, and Gbox, all of which were invited to join the platform's pilot phase. In an attempt to attract small and large application developers alike, Friendster will allow advertisements to run in the application's space and developers will get to keep all associated revenue. This is similar, if not identical, to the arrangement that Facebook has with participants in its Facebook Platform.

Unlike Facebook, however, Friendster has also committed itself to Google's OpenSocial APIs, which once released and tested, will be integrated into the Friendster Developers Program to make it "easy for applications designed for other sites to make their way to Friendster, and vice versa", writes News.com's Caroline McCarthy.