Katherine Booth – E-Business Section A

Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point proposes an interesting theory about how epidemics are started. In his book, Gladwell outlines the three rules to epidemics (The Law of the Few, The Stickiness Factor, and The Power of Context) and the people (Connectors, Mavens, and Salesmen) who play an integral role in spreading those viruses. He looks at several very different types of epidemics from the emergence of fashion trends to the transformation of unknown books to bestsellers to the rise and fall of city crime. Gladwell has found that regardless of the type of epidemic (shoes, books, crime, smoking, children’s television etc.) the same rules and people apply to each situation and are responsible for tipping the scales on that product or idea and causing it to spread.

While Gladwell did not specifically write about the Internet and the World Wide Web in his book, I could not help but think about these epidemics in the context of his theory. What was the tipping point for the Internet and who is responsible for it? How did the World Wide Web go from an unknown phrase to a household name?

In my opinion, the tipping point for the Web occurred in the mid-90’s when graphical Web browsers were introduced. This slight change rendered the Web easier to use, thereby attracting more users and reinforcing Gladwell’s second rule: The Stickiness Factor. Prior to Web browsers, the Web was too difficult to use and did not “catch on” with the general public. With a more user-friendly interface, people could easily understand the technology and maneuver their way across the Web.

The tipping point paved the way for Metcalfe’s Law to take effect. The increase in users prompted an increase in the demand for services and information on the Web. Providing more content, in turn, attracted more users who demanded even more content, faster connections, and better user interfaces. Therefore, the small change in usability was responsible for tipping the scales and starting the Web “epidemic”.

What sets the Web apart from the other epidemics that Gladwell described in his book is the fact that the Web itself, with the help of the Internet, is its own Connector, Maven and Salesman. The thousands of websites and services available to users serve as the “person” who connects users to each other and who provides access to invaluable information. Furthermore, the Web sells itself by learning about its users through cookies and surveys and then customizing its sites to provide each user with a personalized sales pitch. In other words, if Gladwell’s first rule, The Law of the Few, is correct and only a few important people are responsible for starting an epidemic, then the Web has the potential to continually tip itself.