An Introduction: SOCML

Hello all,

First, I want to apologize if I have overstepped boundaries with respect to
editing the groups Wiki page.

I recently posted a proposal for a "Federated Social Network Data Standard"
on the groups Wiki. I admit, that I have not searched the web thoroughly
with respect to other initiatives like this; however, given the superficial
research I have done, I have come to the conclusion that currently there
are no open dialogs around this topic.

Over the next couple of days I will begin posting proposed
technical specifications for the standard. I would like for everyone to
contribute feedback and make suggestions/modifications.

The solution I am proposing is simple: we need to standardize social media
content such that independent developers can create their own services that
can share and aggregate data under a common standard. This standard, should
be open and free, not encumbered by patents, and be easy to implement while
offering these features:


   -
   - Complete end-to-end privacy control, with use of asymmetric encryption.
   - A method for authenticating that people are who they say they are.
   - True data agnosticism, meaning the end user can choose to use a number
   of providers to store pictures, comments, events, messages, etc. while
   still having their information available to those with the proper access.
   - The ability to freely host or move their information to different
   service providers.

Anyway, here is the current link to the proposal:
http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/federatedsocialweb/wiki/SOCML_Proposal

The SOCML standard overiew:
http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/federatedsocialweb/wiki/SOCML_Standard

And the Technical Specifications (in progress!):
http://www.w3.org/2005/Incubator/federatedsocialweb/wiki/SOCML_Technical

Please feel free to critique or reprimand.

I hope everyone is doing well, and I look forward to working with everyone.

Chris