Title: Political Action on the Internet
Headings: Credibility on the Internet
Ethical Issues
Credibility on the Internet

Content: To satisfy demand and to beat competitors, websites will put up information quickly rather than taking the time to verify its authenticity. Even though this desire to “scoop” competitors exists in traditional news sources, it plays a more important role online because of the dynamic nature of the Internet. Even though plenty of questionable information is out there on the Internet, one would hope that the average user would be able to distinguish the CNN’s from the Drudge Reports. However, a particularly malicious consequence is when a respected journalist unknowingly uses a false online source to write his or her own story. By doing so, the journalist lends his own credibility to the false information and propagates it to the general public. Exactly such a thing happened in 1996 when respected newsman Pierre Salinger was convinced by conspiracy sites into believing that TWA Flight 800 was destroyed by US Navy missiles [Denton 220]. Although the cause was very uncertain at the time, Salinger vehemently backed his story believing that his sources were reliable. Credibility issues have definitely found their way into online politics. Campaigns are more likely to put up more negative and inflammatory ads on the Internet than on traditional news sources. Consider the following advertisement sponsored by the Democratic National Committee criticizing President Bush’s Social Security Plan.