There is a debate on Metafilter about Orkut, which is a beta social networking service devised by a Google employee. It is also covered by Danny Sullivan at searchenginewatch.com.
Orkut: possible Google social networking service
by Lee Bryant4 Responses to Orkut: possible Google social networking service

The New (much) Improved Friendster
Google-sponsored orkut.com — flawed, fascinating, and fun
The New (much) Improved Friendster
Google-sponsored orkut.com — flawed, fascinating, and fun
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The flight of the Orkut
The first flight of the Orkut was brief, but generated a lot of interest. What does this tell us about the state of online social networking today?