The Basics Of Avoiding Internet Deception.
Carlos Hoffmann
Vancouver Community College
Introduction: This presentation is about biased, misleading internet information and how to avoid it.
A) What is internet deception?
B) Example: www.martinlutherking.org is sponsored by www.stormfront.org.
C) Question: What do most non-biased people expect logging onto a website like www.martinlutherking.org?
D) Answer: They expect to find non-biased information about Martin Luther Kings life and work.
d1) Most people do not expect biased information alleging King plagarized his doctoral thesis.
d2) Or, unsubstantiated references to him as a "modern day plastic god".
d3) They do not expect unchallenged allegations or unsubstantiated opinions.
f) Internet deception is information that may be intentionally wrong or misleading.
Topic 1: What is potentially wrong or misleading information?
A) What types of intentionally misleading sites are there?
B) Example: www.lipbalmanonymous.com: Fact or fiction?
b1) Kevin Crossmann, site owner, and his users swear lip balm addiction is real and offer some proof.
C) Question: So, how do we identify internet deception?
D) Answer: Deceptive internet sites are classified by intention:
d1) Counterfeit
d1a) Intention: To pass itself of as real; like a counterfeit 20 bill for various reasons.
d2) Malicious
d2a) Intention: To misguide people and disseminate discriminatory or factually misleading information.
d3) Product
d3a) Intention: Misleading yet factual information biased towards selling a product; advertisements.
d4) Fictitious
d4a) Intention: Represent something completly fabricated; a city that does not exist.
d5) Parody
d5a) Intention: To obviously, but not maliciously, spoof an original site, product or organization.
d6) Hacked
d65) A site modified by hackers for any number of reasons.
Topic 2: What is social media deception?
A) What types of intentionally misleading social media deception is there?
B) Example: Oct 2006 Megan Meier commited suicide after her "internet" boyfriend, Josh Evans, broke up with her on Myspace. Turns out Josh Evans was a fictious person invented by her neighbor's mother to spy on her and her daughter. Though the neighbor was aquited it has become known as the first "cyberbullying" case on record.
C) Question: So, How do we identify social media deception?
D) Answer: Again, deceptive social media is classified by intention:
d1) Intention: Create messages that convince viewers the message is authentic or trustworthy.
Topic 3: The basic ways to avoid internet deception?
A) What is quality, accurate internet information like?
B) Example: Saying "I saw it from the internet," is like saying "I heard it from the phone".
b1) Does the person you are talking to on the phone have credibility and authority?
C) Question: How to determine internet quality, credibilty and authority?
D) Answer: Use the same criteria you would use to determine the National Geographic from the National Enquirer.
d1) Crediblity
d1a) Are there references to legitmate non-biased sources?
d2) Authority
d2a) Is there an author?
d3) Quality
d3b) Does the name of the organization appear both on the site and in the top level url?
d4) Legitimacy
d4a) Is there a DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) Policy page?
d4b) Is there a Privacy Policy page?
d4c) Is there a Terms Of Use page?
d4d) Is there a Contact Us page?
d4e) Is there an About Us page?
Conclusion: If a website is missing any of the above it's intention is probably to deceive you and should not be trusted without further investigation.
