Yahoo has joined Google's OpenSocial initiative for common standards for social networks, increasing the pressure on Facebook to join the movement. Google also acted to make OpenSocial appear less a vehicle for its own ambitions, announcing with Yahoo and MySpace the formation of the OpenSocial Foundation, a non-profit organisation set up by the three groups to promote the standard and its neutrality.

The key feature of OpenSocial is that developers can write one application for all networks complying with OpenSocial's specifications. They should be able to create their own networks as users are able to communicate, share interests and play with one another across the different social networks.

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