Facebook v. Google: Social networking gets anti-social

Social networking is becoming a little less social as Google moves into the space, eager to create its own small kingdom in the newly-connected social web with its own social network, Google Buzz. This has caused current 100-pound gorilla, Facebook, to strike back with AIM integration (launched today) and whispers of a Gmail competitor to come...

As explained, Google Buzz creates an instant circle of social contacts based on who you communicated with using Gmail and Google's chat client. Once it’s set up (which Google will do on your Gmail page) you get to post status updates, images, videos and Twitter messages.

This all sounds familiar, but with 176 million active Gmail users and services such as Google Connect, it looks like the ‘don’t be evil’ firm’s serious about expanding into social-ism.

Facebook isn’t taking this without a fight. Today it confirmed our previous report (last year) and began expanding its own chat features by allowing these to integrate with other chat services, starting off with AOL’s Instant Messenger.

After downloading the beta software, AIM users can click a "Facebook Connect" button to set up Facebook chat. They'll then have access to their Facebook friends on their buddy list.

In a riposte to Google, Facebook is also reportedly assembling its own email service, allowing for POP and IMAP desktop Mail downloads, etc.

Down below - the Google video clip explaining its new 'Buzz'.