So I’m reading a post about another Radiohead-related “innovative” move, a social networking space called Waste Central.

I don’t know if Radiohead’s officially endorsed the site, but fans are creating profiles and blogs, uploading photos, music, and videos, signing up for special e-mail addresses, inviting friends, and communicating with other members on W.A.S.T.E. (which, by the way, is U.G.L.Y.).

So I follow a link to Ning, the platform on which W.A.S.T.E. was created, and I think, “Good grief! As if Facebook and MySpace didn’t take up enough time and energy, here’s yet another site that walls up users inside closed networks. Ning gives users the tools to create their own social networks. Walled gardens beget walled gardens.”

Just for fun, I performed a few faith-related searches on Ning and found social networking sites like Christians of America, Christian Music, and Christian Fiction. Revealing…

(Side note: Ning has been around since 2004, and people have been writing and talking about it just as long. I’m late as usual, but Radiohead’s newly announced W.A.S.T.E. space is the news peg I need to blog about it. You’ll rarely read “breaking news” here at LBC, as I’m sure you already know. I offer long-winded opinion and “analysis” on what’s been reported elsewhere.)

Here’s my spin. I like putting all my proverbial eggs in one basket. This blog is Centralized Me. I use Facebook and MySpace to promote my blogging and writing. MySpace is where I reach out to bands (and they reach out to me), drop hints for backstage passes, and cross-post music-related blog entries. Not to denigrate bloggers who’re really into social networking sites, but I’d rather devote time and energy to LBC – my blog and my brand.

I understand the appeal of certain social networking sites. They’re private (except to advertisers?). Google doesn’t index pages on these sites. For now. These walled digital gardens serve as sanctuaries, places to “socialize” with like-minded people, share updates on what they’re doing at any given moment (eating, reading, about to take a nap - it’s wild), and upload photos that won’t end up in Google search results.

There’s something that bugs me about social networks I can’t quite put my finger on. “Closed networks” comes close, but it’s more than that. I’ll think about it and get back to you.