StreamCurrent

Today Facebook announed the introduction of Custom Tags, a feature that allows developers to create new customized FBML tags.  When a Developer creates a Custom tag they can share these tags with other developers as pre-built FMBL components (quick note, FBML stands for Facebook Markup Language, and is one of the technologies used to create Facebook Apps).

Here is how it works.  App Developer A creates a Map Application, and he further create custom tags to his mapping technology.  Now, App Developer B created a Favorite Sushi App.  Developer B uses Developer A’s custom tags to map the location of any user’s favorite sushi restaurants using Developer A’s custom tags.  All within Developer B’s Application.

Facebook also did a great job by providing a custom tag directory.  In the directory, Developers can document information about their tags in a wiki.  This will help the applications grow by providing wiki-supported customer support from the original developer and anyone in the developer community.

Some early custom tag were created by iLike, Causes, Graffiti, and Visual Bookshelf.  More can be read in the Facebook developer wiki.

This may cause a HUGE stir in 2009.  It’s the next natural evolution of Applications, and feeds into the ever growing openness of the web.   This is sure to have a tremendous impact on how social media continues to evolve.

Technology is changing the way we interact with our friends, the way companies interact with their consumers, the way information is spread, and the way revenue is generated.

The best technological advancements are not necessarily a “new technology” but an advancement that improves our everyday lives.  Google brought us information faster, and more relevant, than ever before.  Facebook makes our communications with friends easier.  Twitter provides a simple method to follow and listen, or speak to our listeners.  Blogs give us a platform to rave, rant, and review.

But none of this is new.  We have always looked for information, talked to our friends, listened and spoke, and reviewed items.  But the way we do these things has now become better.

streamcurrent will review the latest “social media” techlogies and discuss what may come in the future.