The CBC has adopted a new social networking tool that lets online viewers discover and share articles, videos and blog posts – and tap into what content their friends have already viewed.

SeenThis? comes from San Francisco-based Loomia and has already been used by about 50 media partners, including NBC Universal, the Wall Street Journal and CNET Networks. The widget leverages behavioural, textual and social graph data in its recommendations to deliver individually relevant experiences. It also has a companion application for the Facebook platform.

Visitors at CBCNews.ca and CBCSports.ca will find a ‘People Who Like This Also Like’ list of Loomia recommendations, next to a full-page article on the right-hand sidebar. On Facebook, opting into SeenThis? integrates additional recommendations into users’ news feeds and mini-feeds, under subtitles such as ‘Your Facebook Friends Also Read’ and ‘Seen by 6 Friends.’ Items are also listed as ‘Popular’ within groups or work, school and regional networks. Users have full control over how they share content.

Local, regional and national news stories, as well as sports news coverage including NHL hockey, FIFA World Cup Football and curling, will be pumped through the SeenThis? widget at CBC.ca, CBCNews.ca, and CBCsports.ca.

CBC exec director of digital programming and business development Steve Billinger says the widget/app ‘adds a whole new social dynamic to how our audience in Canada and around the world can discover, spread, and engage with CBC’s most compelling content.’

Loomia CEO Dave McMurtry says, ‘According to recent comScore Media Matrix data, Facebook is Canada’s fourth most trafficked site, and Toronto has the second-largest Facebook network,’ says. He adds the widget/app will help CBC ‘tap into the reach of leading social networking sites to add a new, virally engaging dimension’ to its content.