Personal

Sometimes you just want to get personal. Now you can with a new sharing app created by former Facebook senior platform manager Dave Morin, Macster co-creator Dustin Mierau and Napster co-founder Shawn Fanning called Path. Right now the app is only available for the iPhone as a photo sharing tool but development is expected to happen swiftly now that is has launched. Unlike other social networking sites Path has been dubbed the anti-social networking site because like Twitter’s character cap Path limits friends to 50.The concept is unique in several ways.

There’s no following, friending or forwarding, simply sharing with those who are closest to you. Examining Oxford Professor of Evolutionary Psychology Robin Dunbar’s research that has long suggested 150 is the maximum number of social relationships that the human brain can sustain at any given time and friendships expand exponentially by factors of three the creators concluded 50 would be more than enough.

By limiting the number of people that have access to updates, users will have a more stable circle of trust where they can express themselves openly. Their website explains, “Because your personal network is limited to your 50 closest friends and family, you can always trust that you can post any moment, no matter how personal. Path is a place where you can be yourself.”

Comments are kaput and photos are grouped into only one of three categories, people, places or things. However Path offers an interesting feedback feature where it lets users know in real time who on their list has viewed the information they posted. No more saying, “I posted it, I thought you’d see it there.”

Whether Path will be the next sharing site giant or just compliment the ones already out there has yet to be seen. Exclusivity may turn out to work in Path’s favor as people are overwhelmed with the amount of trivial information is passed on social networks with a significant scope of friends. I must admit I have friends on my Facebook I know I know from school somehow but can’t place our connection any further than that. Do they really need to see the oh-so-cute antics of my puppy or know that I’m shopping for a new apartment? Not really.

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By Heather Fairchild - Heather is a multimedia developer, business owner and work-from-home mom.