Post on 25-Jun-2015
Vetting Spurious Vetting Spurious WebsitesWebsites
Presented by: Frank Westcott
Spuriousvs.
Inappropriate
Spurious: “intended to deceive”; “plausible but false”; “a false piece made to deceive”
www.whitehouse.gov
www.whitehouse.com
www.whitehouse.org
Stealth SitesStealth SitesSpurious Web Addresses (URLs)Spurious Web Addresses (URLs)
bobthebuilder.com bobthebuilder.com bobthebiulder.combobthebiulder.com
yahoo.comyahoo.com yahhoo.comyahhoo.com disneyland.comdisneyland.com dinseyland.comdinseyland.com teletubbies.comteletubbies.comteltubbies.comteltubbies.com
britneyspears.combritneyspears.combritnyspears.combritnyspears.com
historychannel.comhistorychannel.comhistorychanel.comhistorychanel.com
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Creating a WebsiteCreating a Website
Web Hosting w/ Domain name - $5.95/mo.Web Hosting w/ Domain name - $5.95/mo. Minimal knowledge of HTML required.Minimal knowledge of HTML required. Anyone with a credit card and an Anyone with a credit card and an opinion can create a site quickly and opinion can create a site quickly and easily.easily.
Just because it’s on the Internet Just because it’s on the Internet doesn’t mean it’s true or accurate.doesn’t mean it’s true or accurate.
Tip #1 – Look at the Tip #1 – Look at the page!page!
•Does the page list an author?
•Sponsoring Organization?
•Date created? Modified? Updated?
•Any “out of place” words/pictures?
martin luther king
Martin Luther King - Google
Martinlutherking.orgMartinlutherking.org
Mlk.org scrolledMlk.org scrolled
stormfrontstormfront
Tip #2 - Analyze the Tip #2 - Analyze the URLURL
http://www.harvard.edu/~fwestcott/historyfacts.html
http://www.harvard.edu
Reputable site
Questionable sites
http://www.harvard.edu/%fwestcott/historyfacts.htmlhttp://www.harvard.edu/users/fwestcott/historyfacts.html
/historydepartment /facts.html
Civil war facts
Text Civil WarText Civil War
TIP #3 – View the HTML Source
HTML Meta Keywords<head> <title>Martin Luther King Jr. - A True Historical
Examination</title> <META NAME="KEYWORDS" CONTENT="Martin Luther King Jr, Civil Rights, Black History, Slavery, Reparations, Kwanzaa, Anti-Defamation League, ADL, , anti-Semitism, racism, bigotry, hatred, prejudice, bias, Holocaust, Israel, democracy, terrorism, militia, Jews, Jewish, diversity, anti-Semitic incident, racist, discrimination, Holocaust denial, neo-Nazi, Nazi, Nazis, tolerance, civil rights, Black, extremism, extremist, hate crimes, skinheads, Middle East, Islamic Extremist, education, White supremacy, minority, bias, religious freedom, tolerance, religious right, Martin Luther King Jr., free speech, MLK, school prayer, religion, justice"> <META NAME="DESCRIPTION" CONTENT="The truth about Martin Luther King: Includes historical trivia, articles and pictures. A valuable resource for teachers and students alike."> </head>
Tip #4 - Who Maintains Tip #4 - Who Maintains the Site?the Site?
How do you find out the owner How do you find out the owner of a site if it isn’t listed on of a site if it isn’t listed on the homepage?the homepage?
View the WHOIS listing.View the WHOIS listing.
www.easywhois.comwww.easywhois.com www.truewhois.comwww.truewhois.com www.whois.netwww.whois.net
WHO IS
www.martinlutherking.org 9792
Register.com
martinlutherking.org
Verify whois
hn8yp
Whois info
561-833-0030
Phone result
link:martinlutherking.org
TIP #5 – Find out who links to the site
martinlutherking.org
Other Spurious Websites
• GATT or WTO• Globalwarming.org• FAFSA.GOV or FAFSA.COM• DHMO.org• ihr.org• US Draft Registration• Dehydrated Water• Fraud E-Mails• Mouse over links• Others• Questions?
What is DHMOWhat is DHMO
Dihydrogen MonoxideDihydrogen Monoxide Di = 2Di = 2 Mono = 1Mono = 1 Dihydrogen = 2 hydrogenDihydrogen = 2 hydrogen Monoxide = 1 oxygenMonoxide = 1 oxygen H2OH2O H2O = WaterH2O = Water
Thank YouThank You
Any QuestionsAny Questions
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