From urban legends to political fact-checking: online scrutiny in America, 1990-2015

摘要

In this fascinating five-chapter book, the authors discuss the history of online scrutiny in the US from 1990 to 2015. They review some basic frameworks of online communication; examine the role of online platforms such as Usenet and the World Wide Web (WWW) in urban legends and political fact checking; and study how major events (the September 11 attacks, presidential elections) impact and are impacted by online communications. The book starts with the practice of online scrutiny and its key features. Some advantages of online communication, of which online scrutiny is one type, include flexibility in time and place, documented content, having a community, and choice of participation format, among others. On the other hand, online communications present some challenges, including no physical cues in the communication, information overload, time lag, and isolation. Regardless, online communication is a critical component of modern-day life. In particular, online scrutiny is widely accepted and practiced in many aspects of our lives today. As quoted by the authors, Craig Silverman "statefs] the obvious: that the Internet made scrutiny (in particular, fact checking) easier, that the public was doing it, not just professional fact checkers, and that readers and users are no longer 'passive consumers of information.'"