Hitwise post on ‘trust’ and sources of influence. What is really interesting is how we will accept input from strangers thanks to the concept of the  ‘wisdom of the crowds' as well as input from ‘people I know’.  

Is 'wisdom of the crowds' a new concept? No. I was re-reading a book recently on the making of the Oxford English Dictionary. They had all sorts of people investigating the sources and meanings of words. Professional and non-professional. Academic and non-academic. What they wanted was a number of people confirming word origins, earliest use etc. They needed multiple sources and then had to validate it. If you read the book you will find it was a labour intensive job (as to be expected in the 19th Century).

Fast forward today and you have Wikipedia. Community developed and community moderated and managed.