It's a REAL World Online

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I’ve been using the Internet and World Wide Web since 1995.

Over 14 years, I have seen sublime acts of sacrifice and support, generosity and greatness, heroism and helping.

But unless you’re a Polyanna clone, you’d have come across instances of the ‘flip side’. Horrifying acts of deadly depravity, distributed worldwide through the frictionless Web.

Nasty things that pop-up obscene pictures kids have no business seeing, or take control of your computer to wreak havoc on your property, and others’ peace. Worse is the ‘thought poison’ that quietly pervades minds that consume it through the medium of the Web.

That’s what prompted this word of caution to help or guide the less experienced.

It’s a REAL world online, people!Out there, separated from your ’safe’ coccoon by nothing more than a mouse-click, are the dregs of human society… robbers and thieves, pimps and murderers, terrorists and anarchists.

On Twitter, I said:

Should the new social media mantra be: “When in doubt, DON’T trust?”It can be a good guideline… at least until you gain enough insight to judge wisely. And it applies to EVERYTHING you read on the Web.

Things may not be what they seem. I’ve engaged in online discussions on advanced pediatric cardiac surgery concepts, and seen ‘authoritative’ posts made by one person – whom I know as a colleague, and at the time was a 2nd year surgical resident!

Trusting your health, life, money, success or happiness to the evanescent reality of a Web-based persona is either foolishly hopeful or remarkably stupid.

On the REAL world online, “Verify – THEN trust!”