A post in the Wall Street Journal illustrates a somewhat defining moment … that successful internet “channels” will groom their client accounts for quality.

Google is famous for engineering search algorithms.  Other internet channels will follow this paradigm in various ways by various means.  If they don’t, as predicted and corroborated elsewhere in this blog — they will descend relentlessly toward meaninglessness.  And “real” users will abandon them for new services.

What are the indicators:

First, channels like FB will “poach” engineers from companies like Google — to develop the algorithms that groom client accounts for junk.

Next, we’ll see policies emerge — along the lines of the article in the WSJ (above.)

But finally, and this isn’t the first time these thoughts have been shared — in fact, I shouldn’t claim them to be even my own.  But increasingly I’m lead to read them into the “tea leaves.”  I’ll try to be concise:

An “Identity Crisis” of monumental proportions — is going to drive a new form of credential.  And everyone’s access will require authentication through those means.  This will finally (or at least more completely) enable the attribution of content to specific individuals.

Assume some of the following.  A “CyberSpace” Bill of Rights.  And a system of checks and balances aimed at criminal activity.  Access to the internet will be revoked for some.

The “Web” is only just about 25 years old.  In 5 years it will be 20% more mature in terms of age.  That’s a ton.  Things will move very quickly as privacy and security concerns begin to monetize themselves in ways we haven’t yet imagined.