My Space is very much a Meet Market, while at the same time having minimal interaction. And it's close to impossible to find someone specific unless you know what email addy they are using or if they've given you their URL. That's why I'm not surprized that Newsweeks says that their is a surge in new users every Monday. My Space is a little bit like an interactive calling card. And noisy, as you've pointed out.

I think the appeal to the masses is that it asks for very little maintainance. You put up a picture, maybe send out a "bulletin" every now and again. The profile page is the focus. Your "friends" can post a comment that shows up on it and stays there, something like a Glitter Graphics picture or some such.

Funny enough, my profile was "collected" by some random guy who seems only to want a large list of pretty girls. It has amused me to keep him in the friend list.