Are Blogs Reliable as Information Sources?

With all the various information sources available online today many favor blogs as their primary source of news and information online. Free online news has helped to drive the growth of the internet and there is no sign of its popularity slowing. With all the various sources of information available however blogs have gained a reputation for late breaking news. This is due primarily to the fact that blogs are unencumbered concerning the accuracy of what their content contains.

A blog platform typically circumvents the traditional 'red tape' that can slow the delivery of news from syndicated sites. This advantage however can also work against a blog since facts may sometimes be distorted. Without any type of regulation in place blog posting sometimes tends to reflect more of the writers opinions. This leads to the question of whether blogs can be viewed as a source of reliable information.

Let's look at both the pros and cons associated with any news or information that is dispensed from a blog platform as opposed to a regulated news site.

The PROS:

Frequently Updated

A common characteristic of blogs is that they are updated frequently. Most information found on a blog continues to 'evolve' due to frequent updating. Syndicated news sites contain information that tends to 'stagnate' since updates are far and few in between.

Fast Breaking with News

Lacking the regulations of syndicated sites that slow down the process of dispensing news or information blogs have the ability to reflect 'real time' information. This is a major appeal for gathering information from these sites.

Insight

Being blogs are independent entities allows them to share their insights on the news and information they deliver. These insights can present the information in such a way that may encourage readers to consider certain perspectives they may have otherwise overlooked.

The CONS:

Too Subjective

An unregulated blog platform can easily present information or news that leans heavily towards the authors' personal opinions or perspective. Too much subjectivity can easily distort the information being delivered decreasing its real value to the reader.

Inaccurate

In a haste to 'rush' news inaccuracies happen. Being unregulated or unmonitored for news worthiness a certain expectation of unreliability does exist and therefore must be tolerated and expected.

Sometimes Hard to Locate

Where do you start to find the most accurate, objective, and authoritative site? Locating a credible blog site you can rely upon for its accuracy is a time consuming and uncertain task.

The only realistic test for such a site after you have located it is in fact your personal perseverance and time itself.

Upon reviewing the various pros and cons affiliated with using blogs as information sources questions remain as to their reliability. Free online news sites are typically more regulated thereby slowing their delivery of the news itself. On the other hand this also helps to validate these sites as reliable sources of information.  In fact the same regulation that may slow news delivery but is absent on blogs is why a typical blog posting may be questioned as reliable information. In the end it appears that many are willing to 'chance' the accuracy of their news in order to receive it in a more expedient manner. In a society dominated by an instant gratification mindset this is not all that surprising.