AOL is currently beta-testing a MySpace-style site in the US called (AIM is short for AOL Instant Messenger).
Open to all internet users, the site's development continues AOL's move away from privileging subscribers to its ISP business and towards generating more revenue from advertisers and other sources.
AOL owner Time Warner is currently reviewing its options for AOL Europe and is reported to have been in discussions with BSkyB over the sale of AOL UK.
As well as dovetailing with AIM and AOL's blogging software Journals, the site will also work with third party services such as photo-sharing site Flickr.
An AOL UK spokesman said the company is considering adding AIM Pages to the AOL.co.uk portal "once the product is fully formed and tested".
MySpace is the current leader among social networking sites, with 3.2m users, ahead of MSN Spaces with 2.9m users. Bebo has 2.6m users and ITV's Friends Reunited has 2.4m users.
According to the AOL spokesman: "Social networking is not new to AOL -- we have been running different forms of 'social networks' for more than 10 years, with our online communities and Instant Messenger network."
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