Who is going to create the next big thing?

If one thing is evident from the history of social networking sites, there comes a time when every single one of them has lost users.  MySpace has been all but completely abandoned by the masses in “preference” for Facebook.  But Facebook is increasingly gaining bad press from their UI or Privacy changes.

So… Who’s going to create the next big social networking site?  The next big thing?

Has it already been created, but just hasn’t yet gained the public’s adoration?

I feel that it’s just a matter of time — in fact I’ve spent the last couple of days seriously considering how much work it would take, what I would do, how I’d go about it, and (as of today) what I’d call that site — if I ever get around to starting in on building it.

I’m not the only one who feels as if Facebook’s time is beginning to wane.  A blogger for Wired.com wrote “Facebook’s Gone Rogue; It’s Time for an Open Alternative” a few days ago.  I tend to agree that it’s time for an open — community built and community driven — social networking site.  A site not run by someone who feels that privacy is dead — as Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook’s CEO) is purportedly to have said.  (I looked for an attributed quote to him with those exact words, but couldn’t find it, though what I did find, if you read between the lines, does underscore that as his opinion.)

So… if you’re a developer, and have even remotely considered building your own social networking site, get to work.  The world needs a viable option to spring to and leave Facebook wallowing in the wake of bad decisions, just as MySpace was left en masse beforehand.

More reading:

• Gizmodo: Top Ten Reasons You Should Quit Facebook
  • Honestly, I’m not quite there yet… but I do feel that everyone should be aware of what they’re sharing — and do like I do and regularly review the privacy settings on Facebook, even if they haven’t announced a change.
• Business Insider: Here’s The Privacy Line That Facebook Just Crossed…