The New York Times: More Companies Pay Heed to Their 'Word of Mouse' Reputation (registration required) concerns reputation mechanisms (such as Slashdot Karma) in online communities and user activism online:

"Chris Dellarocas, an M.I.T. professor and an organizer of the conference, said he was interested in the potential of online reputations "to transform longstanding institutions like the legal system, the traditional media and advertising....

The potential financial implications of online reputations are substantial. "The more consumers come to trust the opinions posted on online forums, the less effective traditional advertising will become in influencing consumer behavior," Mr. Dellarocas said. "