I think nowadays it's easier to tell what websites are real and
what are fake. The first thing I learned in sixth grade was the url. Sites that
have web addresses ending in .gov, .edu, .org, .net or .com are mostly all safe
to use. Some .com sites have bad software downloads and pop-ups though. On https://blog.webnames.ca/how-to-determine-if-a-website-is-a-fake-fraud-or-scam/
Step number four says to check the WHOIS. I have never heard
what WHOIS is or what it does, but according to this article it checks to see
who owns the domain and will tell you the registrar.
WHOIS also tells you when
the site was created, when it expires, and how long the domain existed. The
example this article gives us was a shoe company located in the U.S. They said
the domain was owned in China and it has been active for less than a year.
If there is no contact information at the top or bottom of the
page it might be a little shady. It looks more professional to have a name,
email address, phone number and maybe address of the organization or business.
Also watch out for spelling and grammar.
It is most important to check websites if you're ordering
something using your credit or debit card. Nobody wants to get their card
information stolen. Check the shipping and return policy. Check the domain name
and make sure it has an SSL.
Last
part is check the other customers review usually located on the bottom of a
webpage
I wonder if it is really easier--because people tend to not do the due dilligence of that checking anymore. I see false news stories purported as truth all the time through my social media accounts. You have good points about the .gov or .edu, but .org is in no way an arbiter of trustworthiness. Did you know that neo-Nazi organizations have .orgs? And our blog is a .com; we can write anything we want here, and if this was a personal blog, who does the fact checking?
ReplyDeleteYour advice about checking authors and considering format and presentation is good. Can you explain to readers what an SSL is? Finally--did you know websites can fake customer reviews?
I think that your points about the .edu and .gov, etc. websites are good. I also think that you are right when you say it is easier to tell what is real and fake now, however are there still some instances of course where it is hard to tell. Also, What is an SSL?
ReplyDelete