Objectivity
Often, the Internet serves as a virtual soapbox -- a place where anyone can rant, rave, push their views or belittle others. Anytime you see a website that is subjective, or only supports or shows one point of view, it's a good idea to balance that website with one featuring an opposing viewpoint to make sure that you're getting the most objective information. Subjective websites are not necessarily bad, they just require a little extra time to ensure that the information they provide is not negatively influenced by the author's beliefs. After all, even someone with the best intentions can have factual errors or major omissions whenever there are strong feelings involved.
If you do find subjectivity in a web page, here are some questions to think about:
Is the subjectivity hidden or deceptive? Why would someone hide their subjectivity?
Are the advertisements and/or sponsors of the page are subjective? If so, what effect does that have on the page itself?
To what degree does the subjectivity interfere with the quality of the information?
Is the author paid or given incentives to write positive reviews?
Examples
| Reproductive Freedom for All | Senator Roger Wicker - Second Amendment | |
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| Here, the subjectivity, or opinion, is obvious. This does not necessarily make the information on this site bad, but it's good to be aware of it. |
Again, the subjectivity, or opinion, is obvious. But, again, this does not mean that the information provided is bad. |
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| Institute for Historical Review | Martin Luther King, Jr. - A True Historical Examination |
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| While it bills itself as "an independent educational research and publishing center that works to promote peace, understanding and justice," this site contains anti-Semitic and pro-Nazi links and information. The site is also known as ""world's leading Holocaust denial organization." |
Remember the MLK site from the previous page? |
