In today’s Quick Hits, we talk about “Bieber fever” (and its potentially dangerous side effects) as well as Google’s potential face-off with Facebook over social search technology.

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Cyberbullying, Justin Bieber, and One Ruined Reputation

Cyberbullying is a major problem for kids and teens across the United States. When you throw in the rabidness of Justin Bieber fans, the problem jumps to a whole new level. Meghan Casserly at Forbes details the story of Sydney Dalton, a teen who set the Bieber world on fire when she went on YouTube to say she was “over” the singing sensation and tore up several of his posters. Dalton, who was previously a big-time Bieber fan and well-recognized member of the fan community, immediately began receiving angry comments from Bieber fans across the world calling her a variety of names and threatening violence. The drama has died down somewhat, but the real problem is that Dalton must now face the fact that her name and reputation is attached to a massive fight over a teen singer.

Google Makes Blog Search Improvement

Google is constantly making little improvements to its search engine that don’t get a ton of press, but are still very important. For example, Read Write Web noticed a minor announcement from Google that actually is a major improvement to the company’s blog search. Previously, Google’s blog search hasn’t done the best job of showcasing the best or most authoritative blogs on any given topic. Now, with this improvement, Google is able to sort blogs by topic much more clearly, giving the company another strong tool in its search arsenal.

Facebook Offers Facebook Credit Gift Cards in Target Stores

Facebook has extended its tentacles beyond the confines of the web and into the physical world. In an announcement today, Facebook said that it will begin selling Facebook Credits gift cards in Target stores across the country. Coming in $15, $25, and $50 denominations, the cards allow the customer to purchase a wide variety of virtual goods on Facebook, including popular games such as Farmville. Facebook isn’t the only company that has been reaching outside of the world of social media. Google is also toying with selling credits in the “real world.”

Facebook Holds Potentially Important Search Patent

Google has been focused on making “social search” a reality for some time now, and the company has taken several important steps forward in that regard. With the eventual launch of Google Me, the company’s much-anticipated social networking website, Google could finally put all the pieces together for a true social search experience. Before that can happen, however, they may have to deal with Facebook, or, more specifically, a patent Facebook holds giving the company a unique claim to social search technology.