Hum176 Week 1

Hello,
I hear so many good things and am so fascinated with what you can do with the Internet. Finding all this information so quickly must make your life very easy. But please tell me: how do you assess the value of all this information you find on the Internet? How can you be sure that it is reliable and credible? Also, I have heard the term “digital divide.” What exactly does it mean, and how do you think this divide could be bridged?
Thank you for helping me to understand these issues!
Best regards,
Your friend

Hello Friend,

I would first like to start off with that having the technology and being able to find information digitally and very quickly is a very nice luxury to have and it does help with time management and the fast paced world that we live in. I’m glad that you asked about the assessing of the value of the information as well as well as the reliability and credibility of the vast amount of information that is available by searching upon the web. My response to you on the value is that if it adds to your knowledge and is the kind of information that you seek then it’s valuable. For instance, say you had a split seam on your carpet and couldn’t afford to have a flooring company come repair it at the moment. Doing a quick FYI search for carpet seam repairs will lead to sites that can provide you with the knowledge you need to either enact repairs yourself or decide that it’s a little beyond your ability and wait until professional assistance can be afforded. This is just one example of the value but there are so many more that I could spend hours typing them. As far as reliability and credibility, you need to use some common sense and do your research when considering what you read and how you use that information. There are some steps that can help to find the answers that will best help with what you are looking for. The process is called media literacy and it basically helps you to take account for what you find and how you use it and what you do to help make the content correct and appropriate. The first step is the description, typing in a search for what you want to find. Next is analyzing the information and interpreting what you read to evaluate whether it’s appropriate or not. You can look for other sources to compare information to or if there is a cite or reference to the information, look up the references and seek further information as to the authors resume or accreditations. The final step is engaging in the process if the information you have found is not correct or totally biased and not acceptable. There are things you can do to be responsible in getting it amended or even becoming a volunteer to help correct such errors. Now, the digital divide is a complex issue that affects millions of people through-out the world. Basically, you have the side that has computers and the internet, who can afford to pay for these services. On the other side, you have people who don’t have these devices and are somewhat at a disadvantage in the modern world. Many official documents, medical information and researchable information exist only on the web which creates the divide even further. Another aspect or example of the digital divide is Dial-up service vs. DSL & high speed broadband connections. The higher speed connections cost more so those with less to spend are most likely going to remain with slow dial up service which puts them at a disadvantage when it comes to using the internet. There are some non-profits that are pushing for more public access to computers at no cost, One such is the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation (Yes, that Bill Gates) which is pushing and advocating for more computers at public libraries to lessen the impact of the digital divide for those who are less fortunate than others when it comes to the cost of the services. There is a digital divide as well between large modern countries and the still developing and third world areas that may not even have basic communication devices such as telephones or any modern conveniences. On one side there are advocates who feel the equal opportunity to acquire knowledge should be available to everyone on an even level or playing field while companies would rather that the internet is available on a tiered pay for services level, where the wealthier would have the advantage of being able to afford the higher priced levels and the others would be at slower speeds that would limit their access. Time will tell what happens and the whether the divide splits more or can be lessened. I hope that I have answered your questions and given you some useful information for you to read.

Take Care Your Friend