Whos Behind the Mask?

My Point: Internet Anonymity

There is an extraordinary amount of sources one can find on the internet that questions the validity to trust this information. Majority of anonymous people are the ones to post this data so can it always be valid? This point is one made in Andrew Keen's work in The Cult of the Amateur by that when using the Internet there is a blind trust put in that people do not really question if what they are reading is accurate.

There are so many changes and updates made on the Internet by any person who so chooses to make it that way where it becomes normal not to question it. There is a set routine made that conditions people to not stop themselves to just question or do deeper research on it. The article below provides a solid example of the con of this blind trust.

"I was 'Trusting Lois." is the one bold statement of Lois Mesler who's family was taken advantage of a man using the name Jason Hartlen putting his condo on rent through the internet. The Mesler family wanted to see Steve Mesler participate in the Winter Olympics, but that had changed with this scam. Everything had seemed to be a valid deal through the website and the offer, but it was not.

Lois Mesler was stolen $7,332 U.S. dollars like other families by the man making this offer by having the individual put a down payment under the alias account along with another last payment which the man would take. While the family would never hear from the conman again. The Mesler family had put a police report, but the reality news given was that they had a slim chance recovering thier money. Lois Mesler along with her family had witnessed what can happen putting inante trust in Internet services without taking precautions.

The Mesler family just adds to many people who fall for the words given by a source one never sees a face too. Yet there is this taken trust put through this that is never questioned. Keen's point emphasize this and that some of these people who put information out there aren't ones qualified with accurate information. We can't always put trust in a website that looks professional will always offer a valid deal as "Jason Hartlen" had done with the Mesler family.

However, it is hard to know what is true and not true on the Internet. After what had been done to the Mesler family they had been taught through this crime on what to really look for. When news broke out with what had been done to them there were people on Facebook offering them a place to stay which in the end they recieved a place to stay at. The upside to the Internet is that of the real world where it is always a risky chance to put trust in someone espeicaly when it is your money.