Searching the web
Throughout my 12+ years in school, there has been one thing we have constantly learned over and over: Never to use Wikipedia. From a young age, we were taught that Wikipedia was wrong because anyone could post whatever they wanted, but that is not the truth. We were however taught a lot of valuable skills on how to properly search the web.
What is different from trusting Wikipedia than seeing a basic TikTok or Instagram post? So many sources and sites are fake news nowadays, but Wikipedia isn’t one of them. If you research on Wikipedia, it is from books and articles of well-known people and trustworthy authors. It is unbelievable that even today, children are taught not to use Wikipedia. While learning about this, I wanted to text my little brother, who is in eighth grade, and see what he knows and has been told about Wikipedia, and he says they are not allowed to use it. When I was little and in middle and high school, I would get points off for using Wikipedia as a source in a paper or assignment, which now, to think back on, is crazy. It is unbelievable that it took me till my junior year in college to realize Wikipedia is a good and valuable source.
When it comes down to it, though, what should we trust and not trust? People everywhere have access to the internet and can post whatever they please, but here are a few things to look for when reading a post. Always make sure if it is a news story or fact that it came from someone with some knowledge on the matter and not some 15-year-old making up rumors. There is this website called Politifact, and it is a fantastic tool. It shows you things you might have seen on the news and rates them based on whether they are true or false. It is very cool because it even shows you topics you see on TikTok and other things besides the news.
The internet is a weird place with many sides and dark spots, but Wikipedia is an excellent place to go online, and it has some wonderful information. I have fallen victim to false information on the internet and seen people post videos that go viral and end up far from the truth. People love drama and spreading lies, so you need to be careful with how you approach the internet and the news and media you consume. That is why there are so many lessons and classes on what to trust and what not to, and everyone should be educated on critical factors to look out for when looking online. Always Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original context and Investigate the Source. The key idea is to know what you’re reading before you read it.
As always, though, we must search the internet cautiously, be careful when scrolling on media platforms, and never believe something the first time we watch, read, or consume news.
