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Facebook Is Not the Future of Search This content requires a paid GigaOM Pro subscription

Facebook's payment system could presage a move into mobile
apps. Source: Flickr user megandavid

Google’s clashes with the social networking world of late have it looking like the math-team nerd at the party, awkwardly trying to work his way into conversation. But watching it stumble in this space while Facebook rides a wave of success makes it tempting to misconstrue this rivalry and overstate the power of social networks as a competing information source. Discussions about search and social networks are becoming overly polarized, with misleading statements like “The Future is Social, Not Search” that promote false absolutes. The future is social and search. […]

Question of the Week

When will social networking be the best way to search the web?

Featured Responses

  1. Alex Hawkinson
    2009/11/02 at 22:41
    At the core, I think it's still just early days in terms of small business social media adoption. 40+% of small businesses in the U.S. don't even have a web site (and most that do have them are inactive), but people don't say that the web doesn't matter.

NewNet Links for this Week

  1. Google Tackles Mortgage Market With New Comparison Ads

    Google's newest form of advertising, AdWords Comparison Ads, lets users compare advertisers' products by presenting them in structured lists. It's limited to the mortgage market for now but will expand to other sectors.

    Submitted by Ed Gubbins

  2. Foo Fighters Stream Facebook Concert Tonight

    It will be crucial for MySpace, with its increasing focus on social music, to beat Facebook at holding these live music events.

    Submitted by Ed Gubbins

  3. Facebook Rewrites Privacy Policy, Foreshadows Location Based Services

    Among Facebook's new privacy policies are some pertaining to location-based information, implying that such features are coming soon, a vital step in the company's evolution.

    Submitted by Ed Gubbins

  4. Ustream Pairs Live Video With Simultaneous Twitter, Facebook, MySpace Chat

    Ustream's new Social Stream feature lets you sign in to, and video-chat across, all three social networks at the same time.

    Submitted by Ed Gubbins

  5. Don’t Get Cocky, Twitter

    Twitter's Lists feature isn't user-friendly enough, says one user. Is the company getting sloppy?

    Submitted by Ed Gubbins

See Previous Curated Links

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