MySpace: screw your friends, play with us
MySpace (spotted blocking Buzznet just yesterday) plays another dirty trick in its desperate campaign for a walled garden.
First, the history: In December, MySpace blocked YouTube videos from user profiles. After users complained, the social site claimed it was a "misunderstanding" and stopped blocking. When MySpace developed its own video system, it seemed like the drama was over, and users could take their pick.
Well, users kept picking YouTube. It's just the place to plant viral videos. So MySpace, rather than renege and block YouTube again, just screwed up their embed system. After the jump, I test the tortured approval process.
I had my friend Cameron Walters comment on my MySpace profile with a YouTube video. Here's the comment, awaiting my approval:
After clickage, MySpace displays the comment and vid, with this nifty dialogue after it:
Now, MySpace isn't known for its clean, efficient user interface. But this is a little much, no? The only way to approve was to "click here" and finally reach this dialogue:
Ah, finally! Nerdvana! And no thanks to MySpace.
