Credibility of Internet Sources

Wikipedia, an online portal that has earned the disputable reputation of being a valuable cyber resource, represents one of the major caveats for information seekers: be careful whose knowledge you trust. By its own admission, Wiki is the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit, which immediately flushes its credibility right down the toilet.

The Information Age has created a double-edged sword in relation to the value and accuracy of data dispensed to the public. Cyber "experts" use bias, opinion or outright fabrication to push a particular viewpoint and lead people to accept erroneous information as being correct. Determining truthfulness and merit assures you are getting the truth. 

One way to ferret out inaccurate or false material is to ask yourself: 1) who wrote the piece and how is he/she qualified to be an expert on the subject; 2) what type of information does the author provide; 3) where did the author obtain his/her sources; 4) when was the piece written and has new data been discovered that makes this information obsolete; 5) why did the author write this piece: personal agenda or an impartial impact; and 6) how much detail is offered or does it just skim the surface of important factors?

Advocate for yourself; don't be afraid to question everything you hear, read, see or are otherwise being convinced to believe. The fact that someone has uttered some words or written a particular bit has little bearing on whether that information is credible, leaving it up to you to probe for prejudice, embellishment, vagueness or disregard for known truth. The rule of thumb is to always corroborate facts with other sources to ensure accuracy and value.

Confirm the credibility of all cyber data, no matter the venue, so you aren't an accomplice to spreading bad information. Oh, and before you forward that adorable email of several piglets draped across a tiger as they sleep together in blissful harmony, be sure to run it past Snopes, the "definitive Internet reference source for urban legends, folklore, myths, rumors, and misinformation."