Facebook To Redefine Website Commenting

In Facebook's ongoing strategy to take over social media, it seems that the website has set its sights on a new target: commenting. The news comes from CNET, which reports that multiple sources have confirmed that Facebook will launch a third-party commenting system. Scheduled to launch in “a matter of weeks,” the new system could allow the Facebook engine to infiltrate “high-profile blogs” and other publications all over the world. This development follows the hiring of Nick Grudin (formerly of Newsweek) and Andy Mitchell (formerly of The Daily Beast). As CNET notes, Facebook has already made its way into major blogs across the Web. With the current Facebook system, websites can integrate the social network's developer API and allow users to connect with their Facebook accounts, or simply build in a social comments widget of related messages. This allows users to post alerts on their Facebook page, announcing that they've commented (a comment about a comment, you could say), or convert a social comment to a status update. Reportedly, the new commenting system will be much deeper than the current offering. But what does that mean for the average user, and how will this impact the decisions made by enterprising bloggers and website designers? CNET's sources claim that going forward, Facebook will now have the ability to power a website's entire commenting system – from login and publishing to cross-promoting comments on an individual's Facebook wall, the social networking site will do it all. Facebook's famous “like” button will be integrated as well. Right now, CNET believes that the People.com system (which only allows Facebook users to comment) could be a sign of things to come. If that's the case, however, anonymity could become an issue now that everyone in the world will know exactly what you think of a particular band or celebrity. But will the average Facebook user (who tends to share too much information) really care? Or will this merely turn off the more conservative Web surfer?