Path provides a distinct route for private picture expressing

iPhone users can share photos with their friends with a new social network called Path. But when it comes to friends, Path goes against the grain of current social network convention by limiting users to just fifty of them. The fifty friend limit on Path is counter intuitive, however a social network built on a more human scale could catch on. Source for this article – Path, the new social network that draws the line on friendships by Personal Money Store.

iPhone expressing with fifty friends is one thing path limits

The Path iPhone app is a new social networking service that separates itself from a growing field of Facebook wannabes by permitting users to include no more than fifty friends in an account. It also works on privacy. It protects all Path iPhone posts. While heavyweights like Facebook and Twitter tell users the more buddies the better, Path is betting on a backlash from Facebook privateness issues associated with indiscriminate friending. Facebook and Twitter spreading so much personal information has made many people really upset. In fact, those over 30 have been really angry about it.

50 friend is the Path max

Path states to draw on scientific research in its decision to set itself apart with a fifty friend limit. In a blog introducing Path, previous Facebook executive Dave Morin wrote that Oxford Professor of Evolutionary Psychology Robin Dunbar said “150 is the maximum number of social relationships the human brain can sustain at any given time.” Personal relationships are what Dunbar suggests are very valuable. He also claims that you will find just 50 people a person can really trust and consider valuable. Thus, Path lets users feel more comfortable about being personal than Facebook or Twitter.

Down the wrong Path?

Om Malik at Gigacom suggests that Path isn't going to work for social networking. The number of friends can be controlled with Facebook already states Malik. He also points out that of the 50 individuals he might care about the most, half of them don’t use iPhones, the smartphone Path is designed exclusively to accommodate. He states that competitors of Path are DailyBooth, Instagr.am and Picplz. All these start-ups have raised a ton of money. But cash can’t purchase you friends.

Information from

CNN

cnn.com/2010/TECH/social.media/11/15/path.photo/index.html

Business Insider

businessinsider.com/sorry-digerati-path-may-have-a-hit-on-their-hands-2010-11

Gigacom

gigaom.com/2010/11/15/path/