Rating Everything

The Washington Post today has a story about how "a growing number of states have launched online record systems" that let parents check out potential day care providers. The story hails this as an advance -- and to some degree, it is. But here's what the public really wants and needs: A Web site that lets parents rate and comment on day care providers much as they rate and comment on hotels on TripAdvisor.com.

A couple of weeks ago, I talked with Zillow CEO Rich Barton about Zillow's new mortgage marketplace -- and how it will let borrowers rate the different mortgage lenders. Barton made the point: "I believe that everything that can be rated, will be rated." TripAdvisor, he believes, is something of a model for letting the public share information.

This kind of thing is happening in all sorts of corners. Just look at RateMyTeachers.com. There's a site that lets you rate dentists. No doubt we're going to be able to rate lawyers, veterinarians, auto repair shops, and just about anything else. Of course, Amazon.com already lets readers rate books, lots of sites let people rate restaurants. The whole trend will keep growing.

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