Combating Inappropriate Content in Web-Based Environments
Jeffrey Fulmer
"Markets are conversations," according to Thesis One of the 1999 Cluetrain
Manifesto. Its authors claim new forms of communication have the power to transform
contemporary business practices. The Internet provides a means for people to
reconnect to the traditional marketplace and exchange information about products
and services. During the age of mass media, most information flowed in one direction
-- from producer to consumer. Communication between consumers was limited in
large part due to geography. You could warn your friends about a faulty product,
but we all relied on industry watchdogs to convey such information on a global
scale. That is no longer the case.
Consumers now rely on a wealth of online data to help guide their purchasing
decisions. They can compare pricing information in just a few minutes. They
can meet satisfied and dissatisfied consumers from all over the world. The marketplace
is considerably more transparent, and companies now realize they cannot control
the conversations. At the same time, they now see a need for active participation.
If their products are inaccurately portrayed, then it is necessary to correct
the record. If consumers have legitimate complaints, then improvements must
be made. Slowly but surely, they are opening consumer channels.
As an administrator, developer, or a systems architect, you may be asked to
help open new channels for customers. This could take the form of a comment
section on your corporate Web site, a message board, or an affiliated blog.
Business people who have long controlled the conversations will undoubtedly
be reluctant to take such steps.
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