Perhaps related to a general trust in technology, many citizens
seem remarkably trusting of what they find on the
World Wide Web.
People have become accustomed to finding information on the
World Wide Web, BUT
Work by Graham and Metaxas (confirmed anecdotally by many others) shows
that very few people verify information found on
the World Wide Web by finding a second source
Similar work shows that students do not get better
through their college years in verifying Web sources
After Web site advertised Minnesota (northern US) as a
place for tropical vacations (as a joke), the local
Chamber of Commerce found itself having to explain
local geography to visitors that showed up seeking
palm trees, hot temperatures, expansive beaches
Overall, the general public has learned to use some
computer technology, but that has not translated to
sophistication about what that technology can and
cannot do
