Facebook Sheds Uniform Approach

Facebook is making major moves in an attempt to leapfrog MySpace and other social networks and become, as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg says, everyone's "social operating system" for the Internet.

The social network's big news this week is that it is inviting thousands of tech companies and programmers to contribute features to the site so members can customize their pages in many new ways. With the influx of new features, Facebook will trade its uniform clean look for individuality. If you want to incorporate music into your profile, you'll be able to tap into iLike to add streaming music and discover new music based on what your friends on Facebook are listening to. Facebook is also launching a video service that will compete will all the popular video sites on the web. With Radar, members will be able to share photos and videos will friends, and comment on them in real time.

Mashable has a good rundown on all the companies offering services through Facebook.

For parents who have high school and college kids on Facebook, take some time to check out the changes. If you haven't already, you may want to set up your own profile to see what it's all about and watch how what one venture capitalist and early Facebook investor says  "may be the most important development since the company got started," according to the New York Times.

For more info, check out these links:

Facebook Platform: 30+ Awesome Applications for Facebook [Mashable]
Facebook Goes Off the Campus [NYT]
Facebook's New Face [CNNMoney]