There really aren't standards to ensure that what you are reading is true
Very, very, VERY few web sites have editors that review what is on their pages
Authority
Can you determine who is responsible for the page you are reading?
What are their credentials or qualifications?
Do they have the backing of a well-known organization or government agency?
Bias
Remember, anyone can publish on the Internet
The Internet is often used as a "soapbox"
A place to preach or focus on a particular point of view that ignores a great deal of evidence to the contrary
Currency
Is the most current information found on the site?
Can you even tell?
Are any statistics used current?
Coverage
Does this site really cover the topic?
Sometimes you can see bias through coverage in that good evidence is ignored, dismissed, or not reported truthfully as it does not fit the perspective of the author of the page.
Have you heard an outrageous claim? Or maybe one of your clients has a concern because they a friend of a friend of a cousin of an uncle told them about a grandmother who went to the hospital and..... well, you know!
