Web is most credible?

The Christian Science Monitor recently published an article titled "Credible Web? It's Where We Click the Most," by columnist Tom Regan.

The article goes into detail, and even questions how the web has reportedly become a credible source to consumers. He begins the article with an interesting question- "Years ago, when I first started building websites for newspapers, many journalists told me that they saw the Internet as the end of reliable journalism. Since anyone could publish whatever they wanted online, real journalism would be overwhelmed, they said. Who would need professional reporters and editors if anyone could be a reporter or an editor?"

However, Regan believes thatnontraditional media sites on the web will only survive if the quality of their information is trustworthy and credible. He contends that the future of online news and information will actually demand better reporters and editors.
He continues to say that it is actually important for people to trust the information they encounter online. Furthermore, the need for people to find valid trusted information online is increasing, thus the need for more solidified expertise.

Usually thesites that are trusted are built on nontraditional expertise. The author gives examples of sites such as Digg.com, Reddit.com, or Slashdot.com. There, users spread information that others depend on. In these sites, when many users select a particular story, that story accumulates votes of confidence ("diggs" in the case of digg.com), which consequently cause other users to choose and trust that story. The stories that have accumulated votes are seen as more trustworthy than the "gatekeeper" model of traditional news and information.

It is quite interesting, agrees J.D. Lasica, a social-media strategist and former newspaper editor, who expalined : "I've seen very little evidence that the sweeping cultural shifts we've seen in the past half dozen years show any signs of retreating," Mr. Lasica says. "Young, tech-savvy people now typically rely on social networks ... to take cues from their friends on which movies to see, books to read.... And didn't 'Lonely Planet Guide' explore this terrain for travel and Zagat's for dining back in the '90s?"

With all that said, traditional media is still first choice of online users because the reporters and editors of these media outlets have created credibility. However, there are also many professioanl nontraditional information sites that become some of the Internet's most trusted places.The author gives the example of SCOTUSblog.com, written by lawyers about cases in the Supreme Court. It has become the place to go for other lawyers, reporters, and editors to find in-depth information about important cases.
In general, the Internet lets individuals achieve a significant level of trust. Regan gives the example of the Scobleizer.com blog written by Robert Scoble who is a former Microsoft employee and tech expert. He is seen as one of the most important people to read from when you want to learn what's happening in the world of technology. He built his large audience on the fact that people trust his writing. Aside from Scoble, there are many other professional blogs that are written by CEO's, presidents of companies, as well as by really established individuals.

The web is full of ideas, facts, information- all that need to gain that trust from people. Since it is a comparatively "new" medium, especially the non-traditional part many people convict to stay away from, it will have to keep proving itself... I have faith..