Reading Report

Reading Report #5
By: Paul S. Piper
“Web Hoaxes, Counterfeit Sites, and Other Spurious Information on the Internet.”

This article was all about misinformation on the web and the various forms this misinformation comes in, such as, counterfeit websites, suspicious websites, fictitious websites, spoofs/parodies and even news and media reports. Mr. Piper cites many examples of counterfeit websites including the well known “martinlutherking.org” as examples of misinformation. This site may look harmless to the untrained eye, but if evaluated, you notice that the site’s sponsor is a white nationalist group and the information claims all types of things about Dr. King, including his link to communism, and abuse. Piper goes on to explain about a number of other sites though in appearance look professional, sophisticated and reliable are really completely false or claiming to be something they are not. The World Trade Organization’s website was falsified to a point in which, an Austrian trade group invited one of the false members to speak at a conference. This counterfeiting websites is a serious hoax, that believe it or not many people fall for. There is not only counterfeit websites but just plain misleading websites that steer people in the wrong direction regarding, their health and business matters. Some of the most susceptible to this misinformation are elderly and young people.

This whole reading just confirms to me and hopefully everyone that knowing how to evaluate and confirm information found online is a skill that is a must nowadays. There is so much misinformation, disinformation, and false information out there on the World Wide Web, being able to critically evaluate what you find is essential to success in school and in life. I also think that this issue of misinformation is why most professors strictly limit what resources students use in papers. I know that I was required to use only peer reviewed and scholarly articles found in a database on most of my papers and such. I guess I know why now!