Vetting Spurious Websites Presented by: Frank Westcott.

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?

Google

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

Google

561-833-0030

Phone result

Google

link:martinlutherking.org

TIP #5 – Find out who links to the site

Google

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

Tree Octopus

Brain Transplants

New Identity

Pets or Food

Vetting Spurious Websites Presented by: Frank Westcott.

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Transcript of Vetting Spurious Websites Presented by: Frank Westcott.