Time for Web 2 A

Please refer to my post on the pollution of the Web.  http://obvioustruths.blogspot.com/2021/07/rubbish-on-internet.html

This topic has several dimensions to it. In this post I will talk about the low quality of “information” that is purveyed on the web.

A major contribution to this problem was from the Web 2.0 idea, which deals with content creation by end-users. It emphasizes user-generated content, ease of use, participatory culture and interoperability (i.e., compatible with other products, systems, and devices) for end users. It has its uses, but it also allows you to submit unreliable information to an app which millions use. The company that maintains the app can make what you post available to all. They can claim that editing and checking what you submit is their business. You are just one of those creatures out of millions. After all whatever you submit they just dish out to the rest of the millions. Responsibility for thinking about what you say? No, they are not in that business!

They are plenty of examples of customer created content which causes major risks for users, but I will quote relatively less inflammatory content in this article. After all the world will not end if they give you wrong calorie information for what you eat.

I started the day eating some guava. How many calories does guava give you? I saw many replies, and the top two offered an interesting contrast:

Guava                 100 grams 68 calories

Guava Fruit          100 grams  38 calories

I tossed a coin and chose to select Guava Fruit for entering into my record. Amazing how the coin helps in making information on the web more reliable! Then I ate some carrots and looked up my fitness app. It listed carrots, but against Vitamin A content, there was a “-“.

The Journal publication industry has an answer to this problem that is worth trying on the web. There are respected journals who take responsibility for getting your contributions verified by trusted reviewers. Then there are other journals, some of which may even guarantee three “citations” for every article accepted. All you need to do is pay the page-charge. The reader can decide which Journal she would depend upon!

Can we have a Web 2 A in which the “publishers” say that they depend on user generated content, but they get that reviewed by trusted reviewers? They can be allowed to display their trusted status using the presence of a recognizable Trademark of an association. Ideally browsers should be able to verify this trusted trademark.

I know that there have been attempts to create trusted marks. They have not been effective enough; we need a new one. 

Srinivasan Ramani