Data, meet data

Google is expected to launch a set of APIs bundled as "Friend Connect." The tools enable users to port profile information from one social network to another. It also empowers websites to add social networking functions to their pages.

And Facebook is launching Facebook Connect, which incidentally also lets people import profile information onto other social networks.

Facebook hopes that no matter what new networks people explore, they will use their Facebook profiles as a central management tool for keeping their information updated all over the web.

Last week, MySpace also made overtures toward data portability.