Parenting+
Week 1

Topic 2: Using websites: Trust it or Trash it?

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IN THIS LESSON

“Trust It or Trash it?” can help us think more carefully about which websites and apps we use.

There are 3 questions we need to ask when we use a website or app:

  1. Who said it?

  • Think about TRUSTING IT if: The author’s name is easy to find.

    Think about TRUSTING IT if: The authors have experience with the condition and are respected in the community and by their colleagues.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: You don’t know who wrote it, or you can’t find the author’s name.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: You can’t find information about the author’s background or experience, or you can tell they don’t have any experience.

  • Think about TRUSTING IT if: You can tell where the information comes from - the sources are listed.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: You can’t tell where the information comes from – the sources aren’t listed.

  • Think about TRUSTING IT if: The sponsor has a lot of experience with the condition and the information doesn’t try to sell a product or point of view.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: The sources listed for the information aren’t clearly related to the content or appear to be selling something.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: Information about the funding or sponsoring group isn’t provided.

2. When did they say it?

  • When was it written or updated?

    Think about TRUSTING IT if: The information is current.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: The information seems out of date based on other information you’ve read about or know.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: A date for the information isn’t given.

3. How did they know?

  • Think about TRUSTING IT if: The medical information is based on research of many people.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: The information is based only on someone’s opinion or individual experience.

  • Think about TRUSTING IT if: The information matches what you’ve found in multiple other sources.

    Think about TRUSTING IT if: If there are no other sources with the same information, it could be new, cutting edge research. (See the second “Trash it” statement below).

    Think about TRASHING IT if: The information presented is clearly wrong given the current state of the science and the opinions of many experts.

    Think about TRASHING IT if: There are no other sources with the same information and it seems too good to be true, it may be. (See the second “Trust it” statement above).

  • Trust or Trash:

    Genetic Alliance, http://www.trustortrash.org/

    Videos were created by the Sydney Health Literacy Lab team.