Cool article about value of social search:

Using  links as votes is a large part of most search engines’ algorithms. Google has wisely started gathering user information by allowing users to personalize these search results. One of the next steps is being able to search through the “most discussed” results of a query, not just the one with more links.  Sites like TweetMeme are already sorting out links that are forwarded the most. Other sites return search results across multiple social networks. Being able to search these results, a database of socially screened resources, presents some cool opportunties.

Any search engine that is not paying attention to the potential and growth of searching within social networks will begin to lose their value.

Note my comment about how the heck does this all fit in with the grand plan of the semantic web. Perhaps, suggests Jakrose’s reply, social search IS the new semantic web?

The other way of lookign at social search is a search engine which enables sharing. Take a look at Microsoft Research’s U Rank prototype as an example.