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Essay Subject: Definition, history, newsgroups, reliability of information, World Wide Web, corp. & govt. use, regulation.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Definition, history, newsgroups, reliability of information, World Wide Web, corp. & govt. use, regulation. Paper Introduction: Introduction The Internet is a collection of computers that are connected via phone lines and over which no one person or entity has authority. On-line services, such as Compuserve and America On-Line, have made millions of dollars providing access to the Internet and have a vested interest in both promoting access to the Internet and ensuring that government regulation is kept to a minimum. One of the attractions of the Internet is the wide variety of information which is available through newsgroups and on the World Wide Web; however, the validity of much of that information is suspect. Highly publicized investigations have been launched into the distribution of pornography over the Internet, but increasing numbers of individuals are depending on the Internet as a source of information for other purposes, as well. This research invest Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. The Federal TradeCommission is actively involved in policing this type of activity, but thefact that the Internet is an international information source and has noone person or entity responsible for it makes it difficult to police. If it cannot be independently confirmed, theconsumer should dismiss it, or at least not rely on it as a sole source ofinformation. Both WWW and gophers areclient/server based, which may mean that users need additional software forthem to work.[2] Newsgroups Newsgroups evolved as a way for researchers to exchange ideas andinformation with a large audience; estimates today put the number ofnewsgroups at more than 15, with new newsgroups being added everyday.[3] Newsgroups are essentially public bulletin boards where authorscan "post" their messages which can be read by anyone who accesses thenewsgroup. Highly publicized investigations have been launched into thedistribution of pornography over the Internet, but increasing numbers ofindividuals are depending on the Internet as a source of information forother purposes, as well. [3]Sean Gonzalez, "Newsgroup Readers," PC Magazine, 8 October, 1996,164. Examples of this include theelderly woman who microwaved her pet poodle in a misguided attempt to dryhim after a bath, the unsuspecting scuba diver dropped in the middle of aforest fire after being picked up by a plane scooping water from the ocean,and a charge account being billed hundreds, or thousands, of dollars for acookie recipe.[4] Newsgroups are also where get-rich-quick schemes, including variationson pyramid schemes, have emerged, and a number of unsuspecting individualshave been caught up in these types of con games. Miller, "The Web Wore Black," PC Magazine, 26 March1996, 29. Business and government are likely to debate overthe final protocol that develops for its use, and legal issues overelectronic mail and the appropriate and inappropriate use of suchconnectivity is likely to become a more intense debate. Definition and History The Internet grew out of a collection of computers, largely run bygovernment entities and educational institutions, which offeredcommunication options to those in the outside community. T. Reliability of Information Newsgroups are only as reliable as the individuals who are postinginformation, or as reliable as the sources that the postings come from. This research investigates the Internet and itsusefulness as a source of information, including how consumers ofinformation can determine whether the information they are receiving isreliable. [8]Sebastian Rupley, "Telecom Bill Gets Thumbs Up," PC Magazine, 26March 1996, 36. Companies arerecognizing that the Internet provides valuable marketing and promotionalopportunities, but there are also those who would use the Internet for morenefarious purposes. Even when information comes from a knownsource, such as a major publication (most of which now have sites of theirown), the consumer of information is well advised to verify the informationfrom an independent source. World-Wide Web (WWW) serversuse hypertext to join pieces of information in separate documents. The number of computer users with access tothe Internet is much higher. "Click Before You Leap." Forbes, 24 February 1997, 162.Gonzalez, Sean. As aresult, individuals who are unlikely to be caught in investment scamsoutside of cyberspace can find themselves losing money because they assumedthat if information is "on the 'Net," it must be valid.[5] The nature of newsgroups makes it relatively easy for consumers ofinformation from these sources to be suspicious. Pyramid schemes, get-rich-quick scams and similardevices are found on the Internet, but they are merely variations of conartists' tricks which are practiced outside cyberspace, as well. It is as if someone on the street stopped an individual andoffered a "hot" stock tip or other piece of information and should betreated just as skeptically. "Telecom Bill Gets Thumbs Up." PC Magazine, 26 March 1996, 36.Tilsner, Julie. Thus companies such asdiverse as Walt Disney and GlaxoWellcome Pharmaceuticals both haveextensive Web sites dedicated to their products and services. [2]Rick Ayre, "Making the Internet Connection," PC Magazine, 11October 1994, 132. Gophers provide another way to retrieveinformation from the Internet, but present information in a menu systemthat is similar to a table of contents. Knight- Ridder/Tribune Business News, 29 December 1995, 1229 18.Garber, Joseph R. In theory, German law could preventsomeone in Belgium reading a message posted by someone in Kenya. If a Website cannot be clearly identified and the credibility of the sourceverified, then the information coming from the site should be consideredsuspect. [5]Joseph R. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 In early 1996, Congress passed and President Clinton signed theTelecommunications Act of 1996, which makes it a federal crime to publishindecent or obscene material which could be seen by minors. The federal government has an extensive network of Internet sites, anda number of public agencies have recognized that the Internet offers a wayto provide access to information without having to augment the number ofemployees staffing the phones and mailing out information. So-called "urban myths," tales that surface in various cities in one form oranother, find new life on the Internet as newsgroup postings emerge fromwriters who know someone (somehow, the victim never actually does theposting) to whom the event really happened. Authors include a subject line in their posting,which guides future readers as they choose which messages to read. Compuserve Cuts Access to 2 Online Newsgroups. [7]Michael J. The German officials indicated that Compuserve was inviolation of German pornography laws. Internet Issues are Global Issues In late 1995, Compuserve suspended access to more than 2 sexuallyrelated discussion groups for all of its subscribers due to protests fromGerman prosecutors. As withother endeavors, the best advice to consumers of information or otherproducts and services on the Internet is, caveat emptor. Thus a userlogged onto a computer in Portland, Oregon could telephone out of thatcomputer to a computer in Omaha, Nebraska if the connections were correct.Initially, this enabled government agencies to communicate with each otherand educational institutions to exchange information. BibliographyAyre, Rick. A number ofWeb sites reversed the backgrounds on their sites from white to black tomark a day which they considered a defeat for freedom of speech.[7] At thesame time, appeals were filed to prevent the law from taking effect, ascritics charged that the vague language of the Act rendered it useless as apractical measure. Thus theSecurities and Exchange Commission, which encourages electronic filing offinancial documents by companies, makes annual reports (1 -K) and quarterlyreports (1 -Q) available directly from the Internet. "Byte-Size Baloney." Business Week, 23 January 1995, 8.----------------------- [1]Ben Rothke, "Don't Pet the Internet," Datamation, 1 June 1994, 92. "The National Information Infrastructure." Records Management Quarterly, July 1994, 48-51.Rothke, Ben. Companies have recognized the value ofputting annual reports, product information, and even games on the Internetas ways of improving their public relations. "The Web Wore Black." PC Magazine, 26 March 1996, 29.Phillips, John. However, the World WideWeb, with its potential for sophisticated graphics and its ability toconceal the true entity behind any particular "page," lends an air ofcredibility to the Internet which is lacking in the newsgroups. "Newsgroup Readers." PC Magazine, October 8, 1996, 163- 167.Miller, Michael. Users select an item in the list,and the Internet displays the next menu level. "Making the Internet Connection." PC Magazine, 11 October 1994, 118-135.Bryant, Howard. Linksare maintained using standard coding, and the resulting WWW pages aresimilar to chapters in a book. One of the attractions of the Internet is the widevariety of information which is available through newsgroups and on theWorld Wide Web; however, the validity of much of that information issuspect. Journalists are often reminded to "consider the source" when they areexposed to information which is new or apparently startling. Over time, otherusers gained access to these networks until the Internet as we know ittoday developed.[1] There are two aspects to the Internet that help make it an attractivecandidate for the global interconnectivity that is associated with aninformation superhighway: gophers and webs. Of course,they also have the option of making no response at all, and it is estimatedthat many more individuals read newsgroup posting than actually participatein such discussions. Yet the company, and critics of thetelecommunications bill passed in early 1996, argue that the Internetcannot be policed by any one government because no single government, be itGermany or the United States, has the right to tell the citizen of anothercountry what they can or cannot read. Typically, newsgroups are comprised of people sharing a commoninterest, such as an interest in AIDS research, a love for classical music,or American politics. Some of the problem here arises from the types of information that isreliably posted on the Internet. Some enterprising individuals moved their operationsfrom the United States to other locations in order to avoid possibleprosecution.[8] Conclusion At this point, the information superhighway, and the Internet itself,is still in its infancy. Consumers ofinformation from these sites may be relatively assured that the "facts" aretrue enough, but there is certain to be a positive image with regard to thecompany's products and services as portrayed in these sites. [6]Howard Bryant, "Compuservce Cuts Access to 2 Online Newsgroups,"Knight-Ridder/Tribune Business News, 1229 18. "Don't Pet the Internet." Datamation, 1 June 1994, 92.Rupley, Sebastian. At issue is the content of thediscussion groups; Compuserve indicated at the time that it could not blockthe groups only from Germany, and therefore put a worldwide block on thegroups.[6] Compuserve's experience is significant because the company has morethan four million subscribers located in more than 14 countries, includingmore than 1 , in Germany. Afterreading a message, readers can post a response to the entire newsgroup(public), or only to the author of the first message (private). [4]Julie Tilsner, "Byte-Size Baloney," Business Week, 23 January 1995,8. Garber, "Click Before You Leap," Forbes, 24 February1997, 162. Introduction The Internet is a collection of computers that are connected via phonelines and over which no one person or entity has authority. J. This information isexactly the same as information that would be received if the individualrequested it from either the company or the government. This adviceis well-heeded by those who use the Internet to gain information. Thus a Webpage might purport to offer reliable information, and if it is packagedattractively and appears sophisticated, many consumers may believe itwithout bothering to verify the information with other sources. On-lineservices, such as Compuserve and America On-Line, have made millions ofdollars providing access to the Internet and have a vested interest in bothpromoting access to the Internet and ensuring that government regulation iskept to a minimum. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.