SocialStream is a project created by the Carnegie Mellon University’s Human-Computer Interaction Institute, and funded by, wait for it…Google! The main goal of SocialStream is to unify all social media sites to one area. This would include features such as being able to update of all of your networks activity (i.e. friend request, personal messages etc)

What will this mean to existing social media websites?

Well social stream is still in development but is still on the horizon. My personal belief is that you join a particular social media site because you like that particular web layout or navigation or special feature that no-one else has. I suppose if SocialStream can manage to create a good, easy to use functioning website then they might be on to a winner.

What will this mean to Facebook and Myspace?

As Google is funding this operation to help reach western users we can expect big things, however Facebook and Myspace are like your hometowns. You get settled, know the area and have all your friends nearby so implementing a system like this might not work to Google’s advantage. The thought of having to integrate all of your social media sites sounds, in theory, well hard! Unless they can perfect an easy to use system that does it all for you I can’t see SocialStream kicking off.

Whatever the result you can bet Google will make sure SocialStream won’t be a complete failure. Watch this space.