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Facebook feature aims to run circles around Google PlusSep 13, 2011 (Boston Herald - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Social-networking giant Facebook has launched a new feature that will help you post embarrassing photos or status updates without your boss or your parents seeing them -- a move experts said shows the company is feeling the heat from rapidly growing competitor Google Plus. "They have a pretty active and well-funded competitor now," said Carl Howe, an analyst at technology research firm Yankee Group. "It's admittedly smaller, but they also can't ignore them." Facebook's new feature allows members to create "Friend Lists," dividing your Facebook friends into subgroups with whom you can share updates or photos exclusively, rather than blasting everything to all of your friends. The optional feature also helps you filter out updates from certain people. The tool is partly automated -- Facebook creates and maintains work, school, family and city lists based on profile information, though the lists can also be edited if the automatic system gets it wrong. Two other lists will be manual -- close friends and acquaintances. You'll see every post in the former category, while Facebook said it will send you only major announcements such as weddings from the latter. The lists call to mind the "circles" feature on Google Plus, the social network launched by the Internet search giant in June. "This is about feature parity," Howe said. "It's about not giving people a reason to leave your service. On the other hand, it won't differentiate them, either." Google Plus hit 25 million users last month -- a small fraction of Facebook's 750 million users -- but the Google product has generated enthusiasm in the social-media industry. "Google Plus is totally the next big thing," said new-media consultant and author Steve Garfield. "I kind of don't do anything on Facebook anymore. I just got back from vacation and put up some photos and by far the most interaction has been on Google Plus, way more than Twitter, Flickr or anything. It's like, 'Why would I spend time on those platforms anymore?' " [email protected] ___ (c)2011 the Boston Herald Visit the Boston Herald at www.bostonherald.com Distributed by MCT Information Services |