Assignment 6.1 - Hunting the Leviathan on Ebay

In hunting the Leviathan online you could find that the Internet is becoming more and more an ordered place. Now that we rely on it for almost every aspect of our lives, we expect it to be safer, more reliable, and more accurate. In exchange for these things we must give up some of the freedom and anonymity that the Internet is so known for. In everyday face to face interactions we are familiar with laws, rules, and even the raised eyebrow as a means of modifying our behavior towards an accepted social norm. In the online world we are becoming more familiar with sites requiring registration, e-mail confirmations, and profile rating systems.

One of the more interesting manifestations of the Leviathan online is the profile rating system on the popular auction website Ebay. Anytime you participate in a transaction on Ebay, you have the opportunity to leave positive, negative, or neutral feedback for that person. You can also include a specific message with your feedback. In this way, reputable buyers and sellers can build a positive reputation online, just as traditional “brick and mortar” stores develop a reputation with their customers.

Ebay's popularity is dependent on the fact that it's users feel safe when they make a transaction. If this were not the case, they would be less likely to use this medium for buying and selling things. Also, other users do not have the final say when it comes to a someone's online reputation. Ebay has the power to modify feedback ratings if for instance someone created a fake account to destroy a competitor's feedback score. All of this conforms to MacKinnon's belief that “the Leviathan is there anyway because we want the Internet to flourish, and sense it will not unless we build a framework of trust...” In this case we can apply this idea specifically to Ebay.

Not only does a seller's rating affect our decision about whether to buy from them, but also affects the way the seller acts during the purchase. Knowing that they will be evaluated on each transaction, buyers and sellers are more likely to pay promptly, respond to questions, and ship as quickly as possible. One of the possible drawbacks to this system is for new users. Everyone has to start somewhere and sometime on Ebay. For new users, especially first time sellers with relatively little feedback, they may be looked upon as a less desirable seller than someone that has an established feedback rating. For those comfortable buying from an un-established seller, Ebay has built in dispute resolution capabilities. This is similar to the example in Wallace where Bill Southerly started a mailing list that at first required a great deal of moderation, but over time evolved into a very professional forum with its own self regulating Leviathan. In this way the Leviathan on the Internet is alive and well, mirroring the Leviathan we are accustomed to in our everyday face to face interactions.

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