The information that can be found on the web is a very useful resource but at the same time it is important to consider several things with the treatment and examination of the presented information. The internet has become an enormous resource for knowledge and so it is crucial to know how to use it properly.
Blogs on some topics are very popular on the internet. A “Poverty Matters Blog” talks about the current issues and that state that some people are in. A sub-topic titled “One Nation: One World—and an end to absolute poverty by 2030 takes a deeper look. The article acknowledges a rather important issue that poverty must be ended and a lot of efforts must be directed towards this goal globally. With the current democracies all over the world, the information presented reminds the reader that something must be done and that steps have already been taken to address the issue. The information is very current, as poverty has indeed become a problem in the present civilized world. It seems the author mentions both sides of the story, in how things are getting better but at the same time much efforts must be directed to resolve the issue. A video titled “BBC World Debate Why Poverty?” uses cartoon and animation to present its context. A somewhat humorous approach is taken. It is important to remember that the issue of poverty is very delicate and some people might not like a humorous addition to the topic the video carries. A Podcast called “Changes to Federal Aid Programs” talks about the dependence of many people on the social government programs. The support has been great and people have heightened their level of life. Podcast is filled with facts and statistics, which greatly adds to its validity. As the author talks about another individual and their views on poverty and what can be done to end it, there is no bias from author and the podcast is based on facts and not speculation.
The influence that the information on the web has on people and cultures is very extensive. It has had a global reach that plays a role in citizenship and multicultural understanding. The information presented on the web often pertains to a certain group. As the world has become better connected, both in infrastructure and telecommunication, there are many people who move all over the world. The access to the internet from any nation by any culture has become much easier. The view, opinions and statistics that can be found on the web, sometimes have very contradictory topics that greatly influence people and cultures. The politics that are involved can be harsh and detrimental to many people. Since anyone can post their opinion on the internet, the selection of the material must be very careful. Cultural conflicts are easily sparked when great amounts of wrong information circulate the web databases. The culture and citizens are very susceptible to the propaganda and provocation that can be found on the internet. This is a fact that reminds how carefully and critically the information on the web must be treated. In other case, the person will be made to believe something that is false; the internet is famous for its negative effects.
The three factors that should be considered when evaluating internet sources and their use, are related to the reliability of the source. Validity and context are other important points to have in mind. The information must be current and correct. The most important is the source of the information. There are many private individuals, as well as organizations that distribute the information. Their reasons could be very different. Some focus on the advertising and such cites could have certain specificity in biases and opinion. The credibility of the source directly relates to the information provided. There is a difference if it is an article in a magazine where the main goal is to entertain and attract attention, a scholarly reviewed journal or university press with the main goal of educating and providing factual knowledge or it is a novel where the author might exaggerate and confuse on purpose. So, two important factors to consider are the source that distributes the information and the reasons why this information is being distributed. And the third important factor is what audience this information targets. An article for people of a certain profession will be filled with formal and specific language. A writing done for children for educational or entertainment purposes will be much different from a critique or a novel. Web-based information often targets people with a unique and special understanding of a subject. A person must either have a personal interest or it is extremely popular in the present times. So, not only the writer and reasons matter in the relay and registration of information but also those who receive the information, play a great role in the way the information will be accepted, analyzed and believed.
References
BBC World Debate Why Poverty?(2013). Web.
Lewis, I. (2013). One Nation: One World – and an end to absolute poverty by 2030. Web.
Parker, D. (n.d.). Changes to Federal Aid Programs. Web.