Real time news and search can often be a distraction if organisations don't have a strategy to deal with it but it can also be a force for democratic good - witness the MP's scandal and the waves of pressure unearthing truths in minutes that would have previously been buried.
The new real time searches will mean blogs and twitter will play an even greater role in forming opinions and reacting to stories, which should make for an intriguing backdrop to the mainstream media.
For PROs and comms teams the challenge will not just be on reacting but on monitoring and evaluation. Where do we have a genuine concern vs who is a lone voice?
It's these choices which will make or break an organisation's online reputation in the age of real time searches and the best thing PRs can do to prepare is to take a step back before reacting and ensure they know the key opinion formers for the relevant sector; rather than diving in ignorantly and adding fuel to a non-fire.
It's the difference between an unmissable opportunity and an irrelevant drop in the ocean yet the real time comms professional must be able to distinguish between both - it might not always be as obvious as it seems.
Exciting times ahead.
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