AOL Backs Google’s OpenSocial

AOL has decided to support Google's OpenSocial, a platform that lets developers built online applications for a range of social networking services.

AOL has decided to ratchet up its presence in the social networking world by throwing its support behind Google’s OpenSocial API, a toolkit that lets develoeprs write a single online application that can operate on a range of social networks. Recent AOL acquiree Bebo already supports OpenSocial; Internet giant Yahoo has also announced support for the technology, as have LInkedIn, Google’s own Orkut, and Hi5. AOL plans to first support OpenSocial’s Gadget specification for embedded apps within myAOL, but eventually support OpenSocial across AOL’s line of products and services.

“By using this single widget application framework, AOL will take a significant step toward becoming a more open service, making it easier for developers to leverage our APIs to enhance AOL products and services with creative new applications, and ultimately leading to a better experience for millions of users,” wrote AOL engineer Eric Staats in the OpenSocial blog.

AOL offered no timeframe for when OpenSocial support might appear on myAOL or other services.

The move leaves popular social networking site Facebook the only significant holdout on OpenSocial support. Although Facebook was the first social networking platform to open its API to developers, it is generally considered a more-closed system than OpenSocial. Facebook has said it plans to release its developer platform as an open source project, and all the major players in the social networking arena have made commitments to data portability so users can more easily migrate and propagate profile information across a host of services.