It turns out that search box that some people saw in Facebook didn’t come from Facebook. Although Matthew Ingram thinks Facebook will take a serious shot at search at some point, I doubt it will be a general-purpose Google competitor. Social signals will be useful for sourcing content and friends’ recommendations, but a user’s friends aren’t always authoritative. Seeking medical information rather than a preferred dentist, or a convenient airline ticket rather than a fun vacation destination, will remain directed queries based on authority and the breadth of information coverage. While I don’t think Google’s “moat” around search is as deep as Bill Gurley thinks, its search castle is pretty well defended against social incursions, as long as it can tune into the relevant signals.