Author: jenniesherrill

What IS real on the internet?

I think this question is very subjective. It would all depend on your verision of reality. For example, if you think that Bigfoot is real then to you he is real. Anything that you might read about him or see abour him online to you is factual. The next person might think that something else is true and I may not. Reality is subjective as to how you see it. So finding reality on the internet is going to depend on the person looking.

False and inaccurate information on the web

Why is there false or inaccurate information on the web? The simplest way to say it is…because people put it there. The internet is an open forum where people are able to post anything they want. Good, bad, or indifferent. The sky is now hot pink with purple polkadots. Guess what, now that information is forever memoralized on the web. Sure it will probably be buried so deep at the bottom of a search that it would take you a day of scrolling to find it but the more popular a searched site becomes the higher it moves on a search list. Media Smarts is a great site to “fact check” your information.

Be skeptical of sensationalism

AI has and will continue to have a major impact on the web. In years past some of the reasons behind false and inaccurate information on the web was the ability for people to put it there. It uses database and various common websites to pull information. When you look at social media for example, anyone can post anything, at anytime. It doesn’t matter what whether it is real or factual. Anyone can read and believe it. Now it doesn’t have to be a person that puts it there. When you enter something into a search on the web AI takes that information and searches for key words. It then pulls back the information that it thinks you are looking for. It uses information that has been entered to attempt to find things that may appeal to you. For example, today I was scrolling through a social media page. While scrolling I came across a page that said that an actor had passed away. I went and “googled” it and it was false. That actor had not passed. It was just someone that wanted you to click on the article or post so you could be lead to wherever they wanted you to go. Inaccuracies are discised as factual which then causes doubt to be shadowed onto anything you read. The best way to avoid inaccurate information is to do your research.

You
Sent by you:
the impact of ai on misinformation and disinformation on the web
Copilot
Sent by Copilot:
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has significantly influenced the spread of misinformation and disinformation on the web. Here are some key impacts:

Increased Volume and Sophistication: AI tools, especially generative AI, have made it easier to create and disseminate false information. This includes realistic deepfakes—videos or images manipulated to appear authentic12.
Targeted Disinformation Campaigns: AI can analyze vast amounts of data to identify and target specific audiences with tailored disinformation, making these campaigns more effective and harder to detect2.
Automated Content Creation: AI can generate large volumes of misleading content quickly and at a low cost, lowering the barrier for malicious actors to spread false information1.
Enhanced Censorship and Propaganda: Some governments use AI to amplify propaganda and censor dissenting voices more efficiently. This includes using AI to automatically remove or suppress critical content1.
Challenges in Detection: While AI can also be used to detect and combat misinformation, it faces challenges such as distinguishing between satire and harmful content, and respecting freedom of expression23.
Despite these challenges, ongoing efforts are being made to develop AI systems that can better detect and mitigate the spread of false information online3.

YouSent by you:What is real on the internetCopilotSent by Copilot:Determining what’s real on the internet can be challenging, but there are some strategies you can use to help distinguish between reliable information and misinformation:Check the Source: Verify the credibility of the website or author. Reliable sources often have a history of accurate reporting and are transparent about their authors and editorial policies1.Look for Evidence: Trustworthy articles usually cite their sources and provide evidence for their claims. Be wary of information that lacks supporting data or references2.Cross-Reference: Compare the information with other reputable sources. If multiple credible sources report the same information, it’s more likely to be accurate3.Be Skeptical of Sensationalism: Headlines that seem too outrageous or sensational are often designed to attract clicks rather than provide accurate information4.Use Fact-Checking Websites: Websites like Snopes, FactCheck.org, and MediaSmarts can help verify the accuracy of viral claims and news stories13.Check the Date: Sometimes outdated information is recirculated as current news. Always check the publication date to ensure the information is still relevant5.By applying these strategies, you can better navigate the vast amount of information online and discern what’s real from what’s not. Do you have any specific examples or types of content you’re curious about?

There has been a huge impact since AI has become more prominent on the internet there have been some major changes. Not only have there been loss of jobs due to the fact that people are no longer need to conduct minor research but AI enables the very fast spread of fake unverified information.

Why did I choose my title?

I chose this title becuase there are so many things that are sensationalised so much. You have to always look and do your research before you come to conclusions. There are some sites that use “click bait” to get you to go onto their site. They will make the headline something extrememly outlandish just to get your attention. They when they have your attention they know you will go to their site and see what they are saying, or selling. I think that there is some form of truth with AI enabling crazy headlines. I kind of wonered who would sit and think up these crazy things just to get people to their site.

Openness

Why?

The more open information is on the internet the more you can know. The more people that can access your page the more knowledge you can spread. Regardless of education level, having the ability to see pages on the internet allows everyone to gather information that they wouldn’t have had access to thirty-five years ago. Years ago, it was basically a “requirement” that you had access to a set of encyclopedias. If you didn’t have a set in your home you had to be able to get to a library. References and other information were not available at your fingertips. Having the openness and availability of the internet it makes everything available any time of day and any day of the year.

How?

You are able to make your page more open to everyone by not making payment a requirement. Openness can be as simple as social media. If you follow anyone on any kind of website you, I am sure have seen, everyone’s opinion that they share openly. Creators should think of this as more of a way to improve their content. Sure, there are some that will spread nothing but negativity, but as a whole information that is shared could be used as improvement.

Accessability

Why?

Having accessibility within sites on the internet makes it easier for individuals to access information. Accessibility is not only recommended but, in my opinion, should be mandatory.  Have you ever had to sit through a training or a meeting where they gave out the presentation packet prior doing the presentation?  Then you have to sit through the entire presentation even after you’ve read the packet?  Or sat through a meeting the whole time thinking, this could have been an email?   To me, these things go hand in hand with adaptive reading.  I am a learner that can retain information better if I hear it.  It allows me to take notes and feel like I have a better grasp on what I am learning.  Accessibility on the internet is along those same lines.  It allows people to pick out what they feel is important within your site and be able to process it.  It can be something as simple as a font color or the way something is laid out. 

How?

This could be as simple as design layout.  Is the site easy to understand and navigate through.  Changing font size or colors is a simple way to promote accessibility.  If you have some kind of informative video make sure that there is an option to see the transcript for those who opt to read rather than listen. Choosing to include alternate text is also a simple way for users who might be visually unable to see an image to have it used as a screen reader or if images don’t load properly it tells you what the image was.  The webiste WebAIM shows how alternate text can assist people. You have to make sure that your site is easy to use, understand, and navigate within.