The Internet has been one of the most powerful and disruptive
technologies to emerge since the invention of the printing press. We
are lucky to be able to watch its growth and development. And we all
profit from the instantaneous universality of the Internet: We can re-
search almost any topic that can be imagined, communicate with far-
away friends and family, meet new people, and participate in online
politics and discussion.
But this same power to instantly transmit information world-
wide has also changed the rules of reputation. Thanks to the power
of the Internet, everyday citizens now have more control over the
reputations of their peers than at ...