If you build a page on MySpace do you own it? Do you have a right to keep it? More and more online communities are providing tools for users to create online real estate. The more they create and promote their space the more valuable it may become (as well as the underlying community it exists in). Once you have created value does the owner of the community have the right to take it away or to give it to someone else?

MySpace, the most popular social networking site, thinks they do according to a Washington Post article. Two and a half years ago Joe Anthony created a MySpace fan page for presidential hopeful Barack Obama that now has 160,000 'friends' making it the most popular candidate site (Joe had more 'friends' than all other candidates combined). Two months ago Obama's campaign team approached Joe and suggested they work together. Joe agreed and everything seemed fine, until this week. Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, "...at the end of the day, this page his bigger than [Joe Anthony]..." Working on the assumption that Obama owned the Joe's page because it bore his name and was about him, Obama ordered his team to take control of the page. Obama's team, working with MySpace, locked Joe out of his fan page. The page is now controlled by paid staffers and Joe has been left out in the cold.

Turns out the Joe may have asked the campaign to compensate him for his work and pay for advertising on the website. He worked for over two years on the site and allowed Obama's team to participate for the last two months. Does he have a right to ask for compensation? Obama's team suggested Anothy requested $39,000, but instead of negotiating with him they arrogantly assumed they could simply take the page. MySpace agreed and simply changed Joe's password.

Ironically, I was secretly was rooting for Obama, but I think this shows that "...at the end of the day, politics is bigger than Obama..." Micah was the orignal source of the Post article ~ link props.