Gatekeepers

When I started a software company I was told that the people we should try to attract first were the "early adopters" or "information sentinels" or "technology gatekeepers".  Unfortunately, the definition of such people was a little circular in that they were often described as those people who would be the first purchasers. (Doesn't this seem tautological?)   Moreover, they were imbued with supernatural powers in that they could make or break a new software product.  We, unfortunately, never made a complete Steve-Jobs-like connection to enough of these pioneers.

History and culture are replete with such gatekeepers or vanguard pickets: the Swiss Guard for the Vatican; the Beefeaters at the Tower of London; Charon, the ferryman to Hades; the velvet-rope bouncers for Studio 54; military sentries ("Who goes there?"); and even St. Peter, the Pearly Gates keeper in Heaven.

Gatekeepers often have much more power than their stations in life.  This is why so many people aspire to such vocations.  For example Op Ed writers and talking heads on TV (and even bloggers) attempt to funnel public opinion in the direction of their politics and ethics.  They are very often financially successful and inspire others to emulative their behavior.  Let's call them opinion sentinels.  However, even more powerful are those who control the sources of information that opinion sentinels use to shape their messages ... information gatekeepers.  This was traditionally the role of the various media outlets. 

However, recently there is a newer and much more powerful entrant into this information gatekeeper role ... a role that gives it enormous prerogatives in shaping future events.  As of yet, this gatekeeper has been rather modest in flexing its gatekeeper muscle.  But I doubt that this will be an on-going shyness ... and this worries me quite a lot.  Who is this giant newcomer to this information gatekeeper role?  [Scroll down please.]