Today, anyone can publish anything on the internet. This is why readers have to know how to check what they read on the internet, instead of simply accepting the writer's opinions.
Here are some questions you should ask about information published on the internet:
Where is the information coming from?
Who operates this website?
Who are the publishers, and why are they publishing this information?
How are they "telling the story": What has been left out?
What is their purpose or "hidden agenda"?
Did they research the information themselves?
Do other reliable sources give the same information?
Keep adding your own questions to this list...
Read this paragraph and answer the question below.
Information on the Internet
Editors of well-known newspapers and news magazines try to check and re-check the facts before publishing information. We do not know if information published on websites has been checked or not - many blogs, Facebook status updates and tweets publish information that might not be correct.
Dr. Robert Harris has published a set of questions which readers can ask themselves to check information they read on the internet. To see these questions, go to:
http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm.
Another website, about.com, can also help you check internet-based information.
What is the main message of the above text? Choose 2 correct answers.
