Facebook Connect - the death of facebook acquaintance?

This slideshare on Facebook Connect got us talking about what this means for Facebook...is this some great new functionality which means we are going to become even more reliant on facebook? Not just for our social events, rekindling old friendships and general nosiness; but for deciding what to buy/listen to/visit?

We have all become increasingly reliant on reading other's reviews and ratings before buying products. For me, what has always been missing is knowledge of who these people are. Just because Bob in London likes this restaurant, will I? Does he like the same food as me? Or is his ideal of a good restaurant KFC?


It got me thinking about my feelings towards whether I would like to read the opinions of my 'friends'; knowing, as I do a little more about this person. I'm sure the majority of us have friends that constantly invite us to add the latest vampire application, or attend an event that sounds like your worst nightmare. Or is that just me? I couldn't help but think that Facebook Connect could spell the end of these friends. Do I really want to know what these people think of this product/holiday destination/song?

Will this mean a 'cull' of those friendships , as you cut back your 300/400 friends to just a core group of those people that you genuinely rely on and who's opinions you truly value. Or, will it mean that there will be a tier system within Facebook itself?

• 'Only show me these people's opinions'

Or, do we adjust our settings so that we are shown opinions of different people according to category:

• 'Show me this persons opinion on music'

This could have real impacts in terms of how brands target consumers. Immediately they would be able to target the real opnion formers, which could have real implications for product development, research and targeting.