In the realm of Internet, content is king. We all know it. And content is made from information, in written, visual, audio or multimedia form.
It is also said that information will be (if it already isn’t) the most valuable currency in the future. One serious issue with the unstoppable flow of information on the Internet is finding a way to determine the veracity of information. How is it possible that on one specific subject you can find representatives of totally opposing opinions. Each will present himself as a guru in the field, with years of experience and demonstrable expertise. If the content is interesting enough, other blogs and media will make the story viral.
The problem is we easily mistake information for facts. And there is a big difference. Someone may have a lot of information, but they may be erroneous, despite their believes and confidence. Let’s focus on just one topic for example, that is particularly of interest to me. Healthy food.
I try to stay updated on all the latest blogs on healthy nutrition but every time I open Facebook I am bombarded with warning articles about how I should immediately remove some ingredient from my diet and a day later a different website will post on the vital importance of including that same ingredient in my daily meals. Who’s right, who’s wrong?
The fact that there is no Internet arbiter who has the power to decide whose information should be labeled as correct or false creates so much confusion. Just a few days ago as I was contemplating the idea of buying a new juicer a vlogger on YouTube was kind enough to inform me that I should never use fruit to make juices because apparently when the fiber is removed from the fruits through the process of juicing, the sugars that remain in the juice get absorbed much quicker in the body… As someone who stays away from refined sugar in general and processed food, I wasn’t aware that natural fructose contained in fresh fruit was bad too. With all this information overflow, one might even decide to ditch food altogether and live on air and solar energy. I believe a while ago there was a story on a lady who tried but failed on this self-imposed challenge.
I know we are extremely privileged to live in the time when we can easily access so much information but for important topics we could consult a book or a relevant magazine once in a while too. Because sometimes filters (editors) are important.
