I think a lot of the problem is that there's no easy, good set of protocols for social networking.
Want to plan a party? There's no protocol for that. We have email and calendars, but we don't have party planning. You can't fire up your calendar client and organize a party with. The best you can do is set a reminder for yourself and then invite others to share that reminder. No comments, RSVPs, etc etc.
Want to share a link with people and have moderateable comments? There's no protocol. Plenty of sites will do it, but none are interoperable.
You can lament the loss of the open web all you want, but if you aren't helping make these protocols a reality, you aren't part of the solution.
Want to plan a party? There's no protocol for that. We have email and calendars, but we don't have party planning. You can't fire up your calendar client and organize a party with. The best you can do is set a reminder for yourself and then invite others to share that reminder. No comments, RSVPs, etc etc.
Want to share a link with people and have moderateable comments? There's no protocol. Plenty of sites will do it, but none are interoperable.
You can lament the loss of the open web all you want, but if you aren't helping make these protocols a reality, you aren't part of the solution.