Who says that social networking is just for kids? Or for tech-savvy marketing professionals, for that matter? The rise of niche communities has given everyone from knitters to animal lovers and doctors to truckers a place to communicate. But now even secret agents have a place to make friends: A-Space.
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With the major players in place in the mainstream socnets – Facebook, LinkedIn, Orkut, Hi5, etc. – the fertile ground lies with niche social networks. With white label social network providers, there are all sorts of verticals that are appearing – in fact, CNET has a great list of the 50 most bizarre social networks, including communities for knitters, gardeners, doctors, nurses, seniors, animal lovers, and more.
But a recent announcement has me very intrigued: on September 22, the CIA, FBI, and National Security Agency will officially launch a social networking site. The idea is that analysts at the 16 U.S. intelligence agencies will now be able to share information in an open way with each other (obviously behind a highly secure firewall) and that information will no longer be siloed within one organization. The site, called A-Space, is designed to connect individuals and let them do their thinking in more of a public forum, aiding each other in the process.
This is a very smart move that will hopefully allow our government to be able to thwart terrorist and other illegal activities much more swiftly and thoroughly. Done right, this could be expanded to other intelligence agencies across the globe. While Interpol has long had its global databases, a social network for spies will give analysts even more insight. For example, information that was shared via email prior to the September 11 terrorist strikes would now be available to the entire network, creating an opportunity for the collective intelligence to recognize a threat.
Large corporations should take note – this is exactly the kind of platform that will create efficiencies, connect gaps in information, and allow more free-flowing collaboration on a global basis. This is the future of internal communications.
But A-Space? I would have thought that MySpies would have been a little more clever. And instead of the usual applications you see on Facebook, they could spice it up with “Ejector Seat,” or give you a chance to start a coup instead of poking someone. Just a thought. 
I would comment on this post, but then I would have to delete it.
We have ways of making you comment.
I’m pretty sure this gets my vote as my favorite niche social network:
http://www.sosickofu.com/
From the site: “…a unique social network and micro blogging website where ranters and ravers from all over the world can meet to share sarcastic comments about anything and anybody.”
Now doesn’t THAT sound like fun?
p.s. @scott — Agreed. “MySpies” would have been a much more clever name. Those guys clearly need marketing help.
It’s amazing how forward looking the military and intelligence agencies have been with social media.
Gen. James Cartwright of the U.S. Strategic Command (STRATCOM) has been using internal blogs to share intelligence since 2005: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/fourstar-blogging-at-stratcom-0239/
I heard this guy speak in D.C. about a year ago — it was eye-opening!
Spook Space would have been so much better. LOL.
What about the social networks for pets? There are a TON of them. Your pet can have a page, friend other pets, get “gifts” like bones and treats… I don’t know about you but we don’t have time for this.
Sounds like the Government got what Admiral Poindexter wanted all along: cross-pollination of data across many conduits/silos – add the best data mining techniques and you’ve got all you need for success. You don’t suppose that they got a little help from GOOGLE?:-)
Nice post, Scott. And I agree, it sounds like A-Space (was Myspies taken?) could, as you say, drive better collective intelligence and help us thwart terrorist threats. And I imagine this community is a whole lot cheaper than, say, the Department of Homeland Security, which was established for reasons that sound awfully similar.
@Debbie Interesting. Sounds like there are pockets of early adopters within the government – not unlike what’s seen in large enterprises.
@courtney I’m not sure which technology provider they’re using, but Google would certainly be a top choice. Gotta wonder about privacy issues, though.
@Mike Excellent point. I wonder if this will do away with some of the functions of DHS (Gasp! Smaller government!) and allow for some natural efficiencies.
It’s too bad this solution wasn’t in place prior to 9/11.