Is the Internet Competitive?

Is the Internet an ultra-competitive atmosphere? A capitalistic expression of free speech in which the most popular articles, websites, and comments have the most visibility? This article makes a good argument to that point.

Everything on the Internet gets a rating.

Movies, books, food, articles — this article, even — and all the other products we buy online receive reputations within minutes of being introduced. Users of social media are encouraged to show their thumbs, up or down, for everything from entertainment to technology and even people and ideas.

This is an interesting way to look at online reputation and how to protect reputation online.