Ownership of the consumer: Yahoo’s Alejandro Romero on OneConnect

So at the IIR Web 2.0 conference today, Yahoo’s Strategic Partnerships Director Alejandro Romero talked about Yahoo, Search, 3.0, One Connect and touched on OnePlace.

I will save many of his comments for a rainy day post as many of them were factual focusing on the number of operators and the amount of customers Yahoo! wanted to attract. But what I will touch on, are the questions I asked Romero during the Q&A.

I started off my posing a question on OneConnect. I started by saying, tell me more about OneConnect.
However Alejandro said that until the product was out in the market he couldn’t say anymore than what was in the public domain.

So I tried a different tactic.

I asked, “the thing that concerns me about OneConnect is who will own the consumer and who will own the display advertising”. I elaborated.

Yahoo! is making all social networks available in one space. This is great for the consumers, but what about the operators and social networks. Where will you (Yahoo!) put the adverts and who will benefit (if anyone) from the revenue share.

Alejandro stood up straight and I thought for a millisecond I was going to get an answer. But instead he crossed his arms, said it was a good question on a relevant topic but he couldn’t possibly answer.

But, he did say, that many of the API’s from social networks were open.

That got me thinking.

Ownership of the consumer is huge. When social networks become controlled mash-ups the social network must then loose the ability to own the company to the “mash-up” creator – which in this case is Yahoo!.

But, my mind ticks with another issue, what about if the mash-up takes place via an existing agreement with a mobile operator? This could be via a mobile operator agreement (Yahoo! & T-Mobile)?

What does this mean for the social network and where will the revenue of display advertising be split? Will some social networks be forced to rethink the open API model? If it comes to loosing revenue to competitors it might happen.

On top of that isn’t this theft? I know that Refresh Mobile is using my blog for its blog ODP – but I gave permission. What if this happens without my permission? What can I do about it? What if Refresh started making serious money via advertising off the back of my blog – would I get a cut? If not, why not?

I could go on. But it’s a big issue. Wikipedia might really want to be open. But what about companies out to make a living and still finding it difficult to make money on social networking that feel differently? Working hard to make a brand like bebo or Facebook only to have it mashed up by other peoples widgets so that they are interoperable.

It’s just not cricket.

Or is it? Is this what 2.0 is? Is this what consumers want? Is interoperability and inter-connection more important than the brand Facebook or MySpace?

Hmmm. I am not so sure. My plaxo, Facebook, MySpace and bebo or LinkedIn friends are all very very different. Do I want to connect with them in one place?

I don’t know?
But, if I was Yahoo! at the event today, I would have been a bit sad. As a brand, whatever consumers think – the mobile operators were more afraid of Google than Yahoo! After hearing from Orange, Optimus and Telefonica – Yahoo! is not deemed as much of a threat than Google or indeed Nokia.

**Threat is the wrong word** What about inspirational asset or potential kudos thief – not sure how to put it but there was definitely an air about the GOOG. (Not saying this is a good think - oneSearch is very good - just saying the Y! brand is not as strong enough as the G brand.)

Related News:

1. Yahoo! oneConnect on iPhone
2. Mobile social networking, LBS friend finder or mobile 2.0 what?
3. Is Social Media diluting mobile understanding via unnecessary branding?
4. MWC: Presentation from 3 UK and bebo followed by lively panel discussion
5. Yahoo! Facebook