Contrast between cnn.com and cnn iReport

CNN.com and cnn iReport have obvious differences.

First of all, the stories mentioned on CNN.com deal with the nation as a whole. While you're able to go to sub-sections of the website and find information about a variety of topics, the homepage deals with breaking news and topics that impact the nation as a whole. There is a bar on the top of the homepage dedicated to "hot topics", which deal mostly with the US Economy and presidential debates, but are sure to include pop culture icons such as Lindsay Lohan as well.

Next we've got iReport. The homepage showcases articles of lesser importance. For example, the new layout for Facebook has made it onto the iReport homepage. Other articles that relate to Yankee Stadium, Gas Prices in one specific part of the country, as well as amusement parks closing down are in the top five or six articles on the page. While I'll be the first to admit that some of these pieces may be interesting, they are of lesser importance than national news.

However, CNN.com and iReport do share a few similarities. Both talk about politics as well as the recent harsh weather conditions our nation has been dealing with. But while CNN's information is more factual, iReport takes on a more opinionated approach.

I want the truth!

Andrew Keen would be the first to say just how difficult it is to find a truth on the Internet. While considering this assignment, I first tried to come up with some kind of blog or informational website that uncovered a truth before any other source. When I couldn't think of anything, I took a break and checked my e-mail only to find some junk mail from Amazon.com. Then it hit me.

Product reviews!

Advertisements are notorious for bending the truth. Whether it be a shampoo that is promised to make your hair 10 times stronger, a luxury hotel in the Bahamas that is five star quality for a two star price, or even a new electronic gadget that you absolutely cannot live without - it's hard to figure out the truth of the matter. After all, advertisements are only going to explore the benefits of a product.

But by logging onto amazon.com or many other websites which offer the option for product reviews, consumers can finally get the truth. Of course, opinions differ, but by having the option of reading multiple reviews, consumers can get a good feel of exactly how "true" these advertisements and promotions really are. Keen may argue that these reviews are made by mere amateurs, but when it comes to buying a new DVD player, I would prefer hearing about an amateur's experience with the product rather than the entirely positive description of the player written by the manufacturer.

web 2.0 untruth

Alright, now I understand that this assignment was to contrast an "untruth" with a "truth", but I realized that I don't even need to go searching for untruths on web 2.0 - I look at them everyday (multiple times a day, actually.)

I'm an avid reader of a gossip blog named "Oh No They Didn't!" (ONTD). It's an addictive celebrity gossip blog that I can't help but glance at every now and then (Or every few hours. Oops.) Since this a gossip blog by nature, it's hardly a surprise that a great deal of the information on there is false. Within the past month or so, I have seen postings claiming false deaths, arrests, pregnancies, etc. Yet it's difficult to filter out what's true and what's clearly made up, seeing as some of the information posted on ONTD is true.

Today I read a rather humorous article which was originally posted on tmz about Miley Cyrus and her hopes of getting fired. A link to the article is here:

http://www.tmz.com/2008/09/20/disney-to-miley-face-the-music-or-else

Basically, the article claims that Miley is an ungrateful and rather obnoxious individual. Her co-stars can't stand her, and her father is no better. Now, is this true? I'm sure not. I mean, she seems like a sweet girl, right? But how would I know? What is stopping me from telling my friends that Miley is a terrible person? Well, the fact that none of them care about Miley Cyrus is setting me back, but that's probably the only thing.

When it comes to celebrity gossip, I would say that the only source I consider to be reliable is an interview in which Miley denies all of these claims. Or maybe her co-star can explain how all of the claims are false. But even then, how would I know the real truth? I'd really have to physically be on the set of Hannah Montana or in some kind of executive Disney meeting to discover the actual truth...and believe me, I can do without both of those things.

Long story short, this little article was posted this afternoon, and has already gotten hundreds of comments. Most of which are from people who seem to take all of this very seriously. Whether they are defending Miley or simply agreeing with the article, most of these comments appear to be from individuals who assume the article is true and based on fact.