Although there is much evidence that Wikipedia can be a poor source of information, it is so difficult to NOT stumble across a Wikipedia article while browsing the web. I found that when I Googled any topic, Wikipedia was in the top three searches that came up! This makes it fast and easy to click on the first piece of information available. I hate to admit it, but I feel as though I always seem to fall for this trap, and I know that I am guilty of using Wikipedia when researching.
While browsing the web, I came across this interesting article:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/170874/The_15_Biggest_Wikipedia_Blunders.html
This article discusses the 15 biggest Wikipedia blunders, and while it is a fun read, it is also very telling of how great the "mistakes" can be. Number 13 states, "Conan O'Brien assaults sea turtles while canoeing" (Raphael, 2009). Something tells me that this was no mistake, and someone was just bored one night and decided to see how many people they could fool. There are multiple hoax's that have been played using Wikipedia, and that goes to show you how dangerous this website can really be!
Raphael, J. (2009). The 15 biggest wikipedia blunders. PC World, Retrieved from http://www.pcworld.com
Yes Tracey Wikipedia can be a difficult tiger to maintain, as it can quickly become untamed. My 22 year old told me that for a while people were posting weekly that Kanye West was dead. What a horrible hoax to play. Some people just need to get a life, and quickly.
ReplyDeleteHaha, I definitely read that hoax about Kanye...thank God but the time I read it, it was already announced as a hoax, or I would have freaked out!
DeleteHey Tracey,
ReplyDeleteIt's so funny that you wrote about this topic. Literally, in class today, a student said to me, "You can't print anything on the internet that isn't true." When I asked where he had learned that from, he gave me a blank stare. I looked at him for a second and said, "Uh...Bon jour." I thought it was funny, but he didn't, until I explained the commercial to him.
But yeah, I agree, it is so hard not to look at that information and take it as the truth. I have read so many profiles on Wikipedia and thought to myself, geez, I wonder if it's real? I often think to myself that I am going to hit edit on a particular page and change some information. I think that would be fun, but nothing malicious. I wonder what would happen to me, anything? I kind of don't want to find out. Kim is right too, there are so many jokes and hoaxes that are played and it goes viral in minutes on the internet. I swear, it's a gift and a curse.
Wait...I feel like that student in your class with the blank stare! LOL...I haven't seen that commercial either! One of the downfalls of having DVR, and blasting through every commercial is that I sometimes feel out of the loop!
ReplyDelete