5. Three Questions Today:
1. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of finding information
on the Web?
2. How do you identify reliable
information on the Web?
3. How can you minimize the
disadvantages and maximize the
advantages?
6. Context: The Growth of Online Usage
1968 First Internet-type file-sharing
1989 Tim Berners-Lee, working in Geneva (Switzerland)
invents World Wide Web
1995: 9% of Americans are online
2000: 57% of Americans are online
2010: 79% of Americans use the Internet
The Average American Adult Now Spends
13 Hours A Week on the Internet
Source: Harris Polls
11. Abundant information?
48 hours of video are uploaded every minute, resulting
in nearly 8 years of content uploaded every day
More video is uploaded to YouTube in one month than
the 3 major US networks created in 60 years
13. News on the Web -
Disadvantages
Emphasis on Speed Over
Accuracy
Blurring of Lines Between News,
Opinion, and Advertising
14. News on the Web -
Disadvantages
Abundance Doesn’t
Guarantee You’ll Choose
Quality
“Disinhibition Effect” Makes
Comment Sites Troll Habitat
Underfunding of Newsrooms
Erodes Quality of Journalism
With No “Filters” There Are
Also No Barriers to Partisans
15. News on the Web -
Disadvantages
Speed over accuracy
16. News on the Web -
Disadvantages
Lines blur between news,
advertising
40. Evaluating Web Pages:
V
• Dates for page creation
IA
and content updates are
provided
• Links are working (don’t
lead to dead or outdated
pages)
• Information on the page
is not out of date
41. Evaluating Web Pages:
• Information is IA
V independent and
verifiable
• Multiple sources are cited,
ideally with a variety of
viewpoints
• Links out to
reputable ,
independent,
or authoritative sites
• News and opinion are
clearly labeled
42. Evaluating Web Pages:
VIA
The person/organization
providing the
information is
INDEPENDENT, informed
and knowledgeable. By
virtue of experience,
data collection,
observation, training,
credentials, access, they
43. Evaluating Web Pages:
VIA
• “About Us” easily found,
and with robust
information about
funding, ownership,
contact numbers for
corrections, etc.
44. Look at the ‘About Us’
Page
Can You Identify Who Is Responsible For the
Site?
46. .COM
.COM can be purchased by any
person or company from any country
It is suggested that .COM be
reserved for commercial interests
(businesses). There are no
restrictions for use.
47. .ORG
.ORG can be purchased by any
person or company from any country
.ORG is often used to denote
Organizations, specifically Non-Profit
Organizations, BUT, there are no
restrictions for use.
48. .NET
.NET can be purchased by any
person or company from any country
It is suggested that .NET be
reserved for internet providers and
the like, BUT there are no
restrictions.
49. .EDU
.EDU IS RESTRICTED!
It can only be used by regionally
accredited, degree granting
institutions. Each institution may
only hold a single .EDU domain.
Mostly used for US schools.
50. .GOV
.GOV IS RESTRICTED!
It can only be used by United
States governmental organizations.
Registration is done through the
US government directly.
52. The above cartoon by Peter Steiner has been reproduced from page 61 of July 5, 1993 issue of The New
Yorker, (Vol.69 (LXIX) no. 20)only for academic discussion, evaluation, research and complies with the
copyright law of the United States as defined and stipulated under Title 17 U. S. Code.
52
62. Reviewing this Lecture:
Information on the Web:
Advantages and disadvantages
How to identify reliable
information on the Web
How to Minimize the
Disadvantages and Maximize
the Advantages
63. The Big Lessons
You have the power
to slow down the rush of information
Don’t Let The Speed of Information
Drive the Pace of Your Critical Thinking
Rank and popularity do not guarantee
reliability
Remember VIA!
64. Due today
• Final Essay
• TV deconstruction
assignment (NewsU)
