From slashdot.org….
Google Seeking “FriendRank” Patent
“In its just-published patent application for Network Node Ad Targeting, Google hatches plans for identifying the most influential of a circle of friends and providing this ‘influencer’ with ‘financial incentives from advertisers in exchange for permission to display advertisements on the member’s [social network] profile’ (sound familiar, Jeremy?). Doing so will ‘provide advertisers with the option of targeting either all members in the community or advertising only on the profile of the influencer, thereby targeting the entire community,’ explains Google. Who says you can’t buy friendship!”
Coupled with Google’s efforts to promote Open Social as a viable alternative to MySpace and Facebook, it seems like this could turn everyone in to astroturfers, intentionally or not.