A system and method for document filtering and selection based on quality automatically operates to make value judgments for document retrieval. Items of data, e.g. documents, are automatically associated a value. Items of data may be then selected based upon value, which is not only for the specific subject or topic requested, but also desirable according to certain criteria, including each document's quality. A specific application of the invention is to a filter for computerized bulletin boards. Many of these systems, also known as discussion groups, have thousands of new messages per day. Readers and human editors do not have time to classify new messages by quality quickly. Messages may be ranked by quality automatically, to perform the same function performed by a human editor or moderator. Values and qualities may be assigned by interestingness, appropriateness, timeliness, humor, style of language, obscenity, sentiment, and any combinations thereof, for example.