Rayport’s Social Networks are the New Web Portals compares traditional online gatekeepers such as Google, Yahoo and MSN with the onslaught of social networking juggernauts like Myspace and Facebook.  Social networking sites, in comparison to search engines (the case in the example above) exist as one-stop shops, enriched with a social component.  From video and music sharing to mobile accessibility, social networking sites seek to be everything in every location: in other words, “users live their lives online.”  Another key differentiator between social networking and traditional gateways is the former’s attempt to create “constellations” rather than “destinations”: social networks seek to provide an already enriched – and often opinionative – community, while traditional search engines attempt to provide accurate and efficient data. 

I believe that when presented with accurate information or group information, users will usually opt for the former.  Of course, there are certain situations (especially those in which group influence is more prominent) that will select the latter, but generally I do believe that the intrinsic human pursuit of what we perceive to be true trumps ancillary endeavors.  Moreover, while I agree that social networks provide immediate information (albeit subjective) on a range of issues, organizing and managing such data is cumbersome and complex.  According to some professors, organizing such information and human behaviors online is impossible, rendering social networking a Sisyphean endeavor.  In conclusion, although social networks may be mediums to obtain accurate information or influence buying decisions, I believe that ultimate authority will remain in traditional search engines.