`Clean cafés`

Amid the rapid evolution of technology, today’s consumers often stand at a crossroads, especially when having to choose what to buy. They can consult an expert, but in most cases, they have to decide on their own. In this regard, Internet cafés can be a valuable help. Consumers can read comments on products posted by people who have used the items, which they can trust more than ads made by the manufacturer.

In addition to allowing comment postings, Internet cafés arrange joint purchases. On the back of a massive number of people joining the activity, one can buy a product at a low price and receive it at low delivery cost. Yet so-called “clean cafés” listed on the major Korean portal site Naver were found to have been illegally operating. They demanded money from sellers by attracting quality evaluation groups for new products. Because the money was fraudulent, there were no receipts. Café operators earned money hand over first thanks to hundreds of thousands of members.

Power bloggers were recently caught by posting seducing comments on their blogs and seeking illegal profits. A power blogger with 1.3 million followers received 70,000 won (67 U.S. dollars) per sterilized washer from a seller for advertising them. The product was later found to be harmful. The blogger fooled people who had helped him grow into an online power and was eventually driven out of the market. Another blogger received money for exclusively writing good comments.

The 19th-century British historian John Acton said, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He would never have expected the Internet to become a new absolute authority reigning over daily life. The 16th U.S. President Abraham Lincoln said, “You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all of the time.” This means that a politician who loses public trust can never earn it back. Lincoln’s comment provides a lesson to so-called Internet gurus who surf over the overwhelming sea of information in cyberspace.

Editorial Writer Ha Tae-won (triplets@donga.com)