Joshua Porter argues that successful web sites model human behaviour. Amazon, for example, reflects the way we shop for books (we look at reviews, flick through the table of contents and compare similar titles).
Google is often criticised for misusing its power to influence the way we look for things. Its PageRank algorithm is a closely guarded secret, and many feel their web sites are not ranked as highly as they should be. It is widely believed however that if your site is linked to by lots of reputable sites it will have a higher rank.
This models the way we value content. We look to authorities to tell us what we should be reading or buying. I am sure that if Google’s PageRank algorithm did not model the way we value content, others would come along with alternative search engines that did.
If we, perhaps driven by commercial considerations, try and change people without reflecting the way they behave, our attempts will fail.
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