July 19, 2012 by Kate Freeman
We know it’s smart to check multiple sources when you read something on the Internet, but exactly how leery is the public when it comes to information on the web? A study conducted by Harris Interactive highlights just how widespread this lack of trust in information on the Internet is for most Americans.
According to the survey of 1,900 Americans, 98% distrust information found on the Internet, with 94% saying “bad things can happen as a result of acting on inaccurate information online.”
Reasons Americans distrust information on the Internet include:
- Too many ads – 59%
- Outdated information – 56%
- Information is self-promotional – 53%
- Unfamiliar forums – 45%
The 94% who worried that “bad things” could happen were mostly concerned about wasting their time (67%). Other fears included getting a computer virus (63%), losing money (51%), risk of fraud (51%) and damaging their credibility (36%).
The study was sponsored by Mancx, a company offering trusted answers for business questions. Instead of posting a question on a site like Quora or Yahoo Answers, Mancx is a business question-and-answer website that allows individuals to securely buy and sell their knowledge with others.
How much trust do you place in information you read on the Internet?
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