Perceptions Of The Internet
July 2, 2007 – 9:18 amRecently I happened to meet a stranger and the conversation we had turned to the subject of information, and the validity of much of the text on the internet. This person had been raised in “the old days” when researching papers involved understanding the Dewey Decimal System and properly citing her sources. She admitted she was appalled at the information she found on the internet. So appalled, in fact, that she doesn’t even log on anymore from her house.
This woman thinks most of the internet is a scam
And frankly, she has a point. I found it hard-pressed to argue with her concerns. In fact, I explained to her, the issue is actually much worse than she imagined. Most information is not just inaccurate, but it’s intentionally misleading and commercial in nature, and is positioned where it is primarily through manipulation. I know it sounds cynical, but it is mostly the truth from what I’ve seen. In telling her this, I realized that although the internet has come a long ways as a medium of communications, the path forward is also lengthy. Will legitimacy ever take place of marketing on the ‘Net?
I guess in the end, it doesn’t really matter what most of the websites do when it comes to information. There are already a great number of organizations online who do take great pride in the accuracy of the information they provide, and many of these companies charge for the premium information, just like off-line services do. I guess the saying “you get what you pay for” is completely accurate in this case.
What I finally decided to take from this encounter was simple: if you do put out good information, and you take the time to present consistent editorial policies, you have a great chance to stand out from a crowded field. People are searching for solid information, and if you can provide it to them, you’re undertaking a job of both the highest nobility and the highest profit potential. What could be better than helping your fellow man and enriching yourself? I’ll give you a short time to answer 
2 Responses to “Perceptions Of The Internet”
It’s true that the internet is awash with garbage. To deal with this I just turn up my skepticism when surfing the web.
That said, much of the information from more established offline sources has been shown to be false, too — sometimes, ironically, online by bloggers.
So, this phenomenone does cut both ways, I think.
By Matt on Jul 8, 2007
I think it’s just her opinion is out of date. She still views the internet as a place where top authors and publishers publish their articles. It has changed and is completely opened up to the opinions of everyone. It’s more like the real world now, where everyone can speak even if they are not an expert.
By Matt Jones on Jul 19, 2007