TechCrunch: Top Social Networkers Get Paid

TechCrunch has a really good, long post about the recent activity in the social networking world.

From the post:

"Of all of these examples, the Lonelygirl15 controversy is probably the most timely and interesting, but I think all this sheds light on some of the recent Digg/Netscape debates. As my friend Alex Williams puts it, viral media sites are the new Star Search and recognition of top users, be it through financial compensation and/or status, could be a key driver in making these sites viable.

And conversely, commercial activity is possible in these communities but the format it can take is still up for debate: Paris Hilton no, Tea Partay yes, but for short campaigns and Lonelygirl15 maybe - I don’t think there’s consensus, or any indication that model could be reproduced well enough to be sustainable. As a proof of concept though, it was fascinating.

Advertising in these spaces well takes a whole lot of skill and we’ll see far more people fail than succeed, but occasional success could help build tolerance for the bulk of attempts instead of a wholesale rejection of commercial engagement with viral media communities. Companies are struggling to find people capable of pulling off advertising in social media spaces. Second Life is a whole other can of worms."