I'd like to see both. My friends might not have as comprehensive coverage, and they may not have my exact taste, but _I know who they are_. This allows me to make judgements about their opinions that I can't make with strangers.
It's also generally the case that people will favor the opinion of a few people they know over the opinion of hundreds of strangers. For example, you'll try a restaurant because one friend recommended it, but the threshold for where you'll follow positive Yelp reviews to go to a new place is probably much higher (in the hundreds for me.)
It's also generally the case that people will favor the opinion of a few people they know over the opinion of hundreds of strangers. For example, you'll try a restaurant because one friend recommended it, but the threshold for where you'll follow positive Yelp reviews to go to a new place is probably much higher (in the hundreds for me.)