Om: Are Social Networks Just A Feature?

Here’s some interesting point-of-view from tech commentator Om Malik on whether we should look at Social Networks as features that should be part of an overall site experience rather than a stand alone system. Om says:

It is time to rethink the whole notion of social networking, and start thinking of it as a feature for other online activities. Already, we see companies like Affinity Circles and Social Platform turning the “social network” into a commodity, by offering turnkey solutions. That’s just the start. It is time to start thinking beyond the web-page paradigm, and think of social networking as part of a larger “experience,” one that starts to blend the best of online and offline worlds.

GigaOM » Are Social Networks Just a Feature?