Site C - Computer Tan:
- Home page has a video with a tanned model, as if she has used the
product successfully herself
- Video and links include scientific-like explanations and terms
- Site offers a free trial
- They also have a mobile app
- The have an FAQ link
* Uses scientific-like explanations
* Has specific questions that create connections with the potential
customers
- i.e. customers are only allowed 1 session per day to protect
them from overexposure
- sends the message "we care about you and your well being"
Site D - Ova Prima:
- About section lends credibility
* Since 1887
* partners in field of education
- "Prestigious teacher's workshops"
- Describes their partnerships - all "experts"
* In the field of education
* In the scientific community
- paleontology
- oogenetics
- archaeology
- ovaprimatology
- The fact that they "fund education and research"
- Evidence of their research with pictures and professional looking articles
- New links with pictures, name drops (Dr. Phillips) and
scientific terms (ova intra ova)
* International level
* National level
* Personal level
- Charity
- Marriage of employees
Site E - GMail Tap:
- Has Google logo
- They give the people in the video official titles, like they are an official
part of the Google company
- In one of the videos, they connect the app to the movie I am
* An "enlightened" kind of movie, so this app must be "enlightened"
as well
- They link an employee to a historically famous person
- Inspirational music playing with their inspirational message
- Appears to be connected to the actual Google site - when you click
the links it takes you to authentic Google links
How should I judge the credibility of authors online?
After viewing the above hoax websites, it seems to me that it is quite easy to appear credible. Judging credibility should not happen at the surface level (don't judge a book by its cover). One must delve deeper in order to judge whether or not a source can be trusted. Pictures, names, titles, logos, expert language, or the appearance of a "true website" do not add up to making a source trustworthy. Who are the people in the picture? Who is the Doctor, or the experts mentioned on the site - what have they accomplished? If a site shows an official logo such as the Google GMail one, can you go directly to that source and find the product they are talking about? If a site claims to have a long history, supposedly proving expertise in a subject, can you find other info about this company to back up the claims? Do the sources listed within the site actually exist? Are they credible?
Conclusion
It seems like every aspect of a site should be questioned in order to determine its credibility. Some sites are obviously hoaxes. Others are more difficult to judge, Don't take all the info a site gives you at face value - look into it and see if it checks out.
- Has Google logo
- They give the people in the video official titles, like they are an official
part of the Google company
- In one of the videos, they connect the app to the movie I am
* An "enlightened" kind of movie, so this app must be "enlightened"
as well
- They link an employee to a historically famous person
- Inspirational music playing with their inspirational message
- Appears to be connected to the actual Google site - when you click
the links it takes you to authentic Google links
How should I judge the credibility of authors online?
After viewing the above hoax websites, it seems to me that it is quite easy to appear credible. Judging credibility should not happen at the surface level (don't judge a book by its cover). One must delve deeper in order to judge whether or not a source can be trusted. Pictures, names, titles, logos, expert language, or the appearance of a "true website" do not add up to making a source trustworthy. Who are the people in the picture? Who is the Doctor, or the experts mentioned on the site - what have they accomplished? If a site shows an official logo such as the Google GMail one, can you go directly to that source and find the product they are talking about? If a site claims to have a long history, supposedly proving expertise in a subject, can you find other info about this company to back up the claims? Do the sources listed within the site actually exist? Are they credible?
Conclusion
It seems like every aspect of a site should be questioned in order to determine its credibility. Some sites are obviously hoaxes. Others are more difficult to judge, Don't take all the info a site gives you at face value - look into it and see if it checks out.
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