Online Credibility

Online Credibility

Abstract

Networked digital media has presented new challenges for people to locate information that they can

trust. The media landscape looks quite different today than it did just a short time ago with an

expansion of information that is available via networked digital media technologies. An important factor

of this expansion is the opportunities for learning, social connection, and entertainment. At the same

time there a large quantity of information online that has prompted concerns about credibility because

the origin of information and its quality. This has resulted in concerns to locate information that they

can trust. Of course, the problem of establishing credibility is not unique to digital media, as trusting

information obtained via any medium has always presented problems for information seekers.

Online Credibility

To appreciate the ways in which networked communication technologies have increased the

complexity of determining credible sources and information accurately, it is useful to remember

the past. In the traditional media environment there were typically a limited number of sources

and high barriers for access to the public dissemination of information. In this environment of

information scarcity, credible sources were often characterized by such features as formal

positions indicating particular training and education or by jobs requiring specific, relevant experience.

Credible sources of information were often easily recognized by virtue of their observable and

credentials, which were rooted in specific qualifications or training.

Online Authority

An online authority essentially means you're not only a thought leader on a specific topic, but

that you've also taken the time to translate that knowledge in a meaningful way online. And if you're a

business owner, you've gone about it in such a way that search engines see it, your prospects and

customers recognize it, and as a...