All that Glitters Is Not Gold

Abstract

Millions of people visit millions of Web pages each day and are treated to an amazing array of on line features and functions. Perhaps the most powerful feature is sheer information propagation. There is no better way to “get the word out” than by using the World Wide Web or by delivering it using e-mail. Health care is certainly no exception—it, too, is an industry that wants to get its message out. In fact, medicine is probably one of the most frequently visited topics on the Internet, with one in three Americans in 1999 using the Internet to obtain medical information.¹ At present, however, there is no means of assuring that what is presented on health-related Internet sites is scientifically valid. In addition to a large number of misleading Web pages, the Internet is host to a number of evil entities, such as viruses, hackers, and computer crashes. Villains, con artists, and stalkers find a home on the Web as well. All that glitters on the World Wide Web is not gold, and some suggestions for protecting yourself are presented in this chapter.