Rupert Murdoch has launched an attack on Facebook after it was revealed that it had overtaken MySpace as the most popular social network.

According to figures from ComScore, Facebook received 123.9 million unique visitors in May compared to MySpace's 114.6 million.

It was revealed that Facebook had grown by 162 per cent year on year, compared to a growth of just five per cent for MySpace.

The owner of NewsCorp, who bought the social networking site in 2005 for $580 million, said that Facebook had "done a great job of being flavor of the month in the last six years of last month".

Microsoft is testing a new social network which is designed to be used on company intranets.

Computerworld.com reports that the TownSquare application was launched by the company in January and is currently used by over 8,000 Microsoft employees.

TownSquare has a layout similar to that of Facebook and allows companies and employees to display information in a news feed.

Chris Pratley, general manager of Microsoft's Office Labs, told the website that TownSquare grew within the company "by word of mouth" and now around 700 employees "use the social network daily".

A new social network is being launched targeting people over the age of 35.

GetBack Media focuses on pop culture from 1968-90 and is filled with music and TV content, reports the Hollywood Reporter.

The site has established links with ScreenPlay to feature movie trailers and will contain music videos from artists signed to Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group.

MySpace is to begin venturing away from the computer by distributing content on TV and DVD and selling merchandise.

The social network site, owned by News Corp has struck a deal with ShineReveille, a company founded by Rupert Murdoch's daughter.

Exclusive content which MySpace TV co-produces with media companies, such as Roommates and hidden-camera show Special Delivery, will make the company a media platform distinguishing it from its rival Facebook, according to the company.

MySpace is hoping to challenge Apple's iTunes music store with its new MySpace Music site.

The social network site has formed a joint venture with three of the four major recording labels.

Universal, Sony BMG and Warner Music have all signed up to help launch MySpace Music.

The site will be embedded in the social network and offer free audio and video streaming together with paid-for MP3 downloads, ringtones and ticket sales.

Facebook is teaming up with jobs site CareerBuilder.com to run recruitment campaigns on the social network site.

Specialized recruiting adverts will promote CareerBuilder within a specially developed part of the Facebook site, with the view of attracting specific types of job seekers.

An example from CareerBuilder said that an engineering firm may be able to target people with engineering degrees.

Microsoft has signed deals with five social networking sites to enable data to be shared more easily.

The company has announced deals with Facebook, Bebo, Hi5, LinkedIn and Tagged to enable easier and more secure access to their contacts from more places on the web.

A spokesman for Microsoft told IT news site vnunet.com: "These partnerships will enhance our users' online experiences and the way in which they choose to communicate with their friends and families."

Yahoo!, Google and MySpace have formed an alliance to form the OpenSocial network to lure web developers away from the market leader Facebook.

The OpenSocial network is a set of technical specifications that lets new software run on any social network website.

Joe Krauss, Google director of product management, said to Reuters that the scope of OpenSocial applications could reach more than 200 million users.

Speaking about the coalition he added: "If you want to go fast, go alone, if you want to go far, go together."

MySpace is collaborating with some of the biggest music labels to launch a digital music platform.

The social networking site is close to deals with Warner Music Group and Sony BMG, according to the New York Post.

No money will be involved in the deal as the labels are trading content rights in exchange for stakes in MySpace Music and any advertising revenue they generate from the service.

One industry insider told the NY Post: "The concept of the joint venture is to bring in all forms of making money from digital music and much more tightly integrate them."

Facebook is introducing new improved privacy controls that give users increased control over who sees the data on their profile changes.

The new controls, which will be introduced in the early hours of Wednesday, will make distinctions between family, friends and co-workers.

As a result users can choose who can see personal details and photos on their profile pages.

Up until the change any user accepted as a friend had unrestricted access; however there have been continued warnings not to post personal details on social networking sites.