Why can't you trust Google? Because...

I just read an article entitled “Shhh! I’m Googling My Facts…” from the blog site 2 cents worth by Dave. The article is about a large issue that goes on today with teenagers all over the world, including me. Internet resources found through the “trustworthy” search engine Google. The writer said that teachers used to teach from text books, encyclopedias and other sources printed on books. Wake up people! It is the 21st century, and the online resources are so multiple and easily available, that people are using them much more than books. From a kid’s point of view, it is easy and extremely simple to do. A kid can get his research done in a few minutes online. But teachers look at it with not so positive a view. They prefer their textbooks and maps.

When I read this article, I decided to blog about it because it intrigued me and I could relate to it. I use Google all the time for researching papers and tons of other things. It is my home page on my computer. From Google I can go to any website. But, I should apply some techniques that I have learned in my English 9 class (woo-hoo Mrs. Comp!): questioning what I find. When I click on a website with information concerning the topic I typed in up top in the search bar, I automatically assume it’s true. It’s taken for granted that the information searched and the websites that appear on Google are, well, valid. But I need to learn to question what I read, and research it and back it up more thoroughly. When you search something, and the list of websites that come up, they are not arranged from true to incorrect, they are arranged randomly. Anybody can write anything on any website and have it appear on Google. A student researching his paper, or an inquirer just searching for the answer to a question, should either check more than just the first website on the list, to back up the information, or should go to a trusted website. Another website that is largely popular is Wikipedia. Everyone trusts Wikipedia, but it is not always true. The articles can be edited and therefore anything can be changed or put into that article.

The validity of resourceful websites, such as Google and Wikipedia, should be challenged and questioned. Don’t always trust the first thing you read on the World Wide Web (www). Always be inquiring and questioning and validating everything you read and see…