What's a friend worth on a social network?

If you've browsed around MySpace a bit, you may have caught pages for users that appear almost to be sponsored by a certain brand. Or you might have caught brand names in the user's top 8. This is an interesting way to meet with your potential market - through a friend.

So what is the value of a friend on a social network? Fox and Carat asked just that in a recent study. As Rex Briggs states, the value lies within how users pass information around social networks. But additionally, brands are given credibility when featured prominently by a trusted friend.

MySpace top 8 spots have made or broken friendships, why would they not do the same for brand relationships?