2007-01-03 15:55:28 · 4 answers · asked by Cinnamon 6 in Computers & Internet ➔ Internet
Because they are still part of the "typographic" culture that feels when something is "published" or given some essence of authority it carries truth. This is true of traditional publishing protocol in which an author writing for a reputable publisher faces severe scrutiny for accuracy and truthfulness by review boards. Thus we as a culture have been conditioned to believe that what we see in writing as conveying truth. However the Web clearly does not carry any real accountability.I personally have found many errors on Wikipedia. This conditioning, along with laziness and our desire to take peripheral routes to discover truth without real effort, make it easy and convenient to consider something like Wikipedia "truth".
2007-01-03 16:13:51 · answer #1 · answered by jamesa 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'd have to agree with the first answer.
It is set up so that anyone may add information or otherwise edit an entry, which certainly creates the possibility of misinformation. However, that setup also means that any incorrect information or abuse may be edited out by users who want to maintain the integrity of the information presented on the site. Providing sources for the information is encouraged, and at one point or another, all of the information posted is verified to whatever extent possible by the administrators of the site.
It certainly is not a foolproof method for documenting information, but it's pretty reliable and can be extremely informative for those who are interested in casual research. As always, though, it's best not to rely on only one source if you can avoid it.
2007-01-04 00:07:26 · answer #2 · answered by Edward S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Being an administrator level editor at Wikipedia, I can attest that regardless of the "anyone can edit", there are those who have to give final opinion on the article before the new edits can stay. Wikipedia keeps a cache of the former texts, so if any inconsistencies are found, the page can be restored to its former, correct state.
2007-01-04 00:06:54 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because most, if not all of it is right, and if it's not, I'm sure people by the thousands would complain.
2007-01-03 23:59:00 · answer #4 · answered by Cory W 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋