Bruce Sterling: Science's Next Big Score

An interesting take on social networking analysis. Here's an excerpt:

In the hands of law enforcement officials, social network analysis is like a chainsaw, both useful and dangerous. Saddam Hussein was captured with the aid of link diagrams that revealed his vulnerable connections, not just to the major malefactors in his government but to low-ranking yet highly trusted bodyguards, chauffeurs, and fellow tribesmen. On the other hand, imagine what malevolent authorities with a McCarthyite bent might do with such a tool: "Several Web pages link your site, Volvo Owners for Free Expression, to those of terrorists. Surely this proves something."