How do you judge whether information found online is reliable?
Explain how to evaluate the reliability of online sources and information, considering authority, accuracy, bias, currency and corroboration.
A focused answer to the WJEC GCSE Digital Technology content on the reliability of online sources, covering how to judge authority, accuracy, bias, currency and corroboration, and the risks of misinformation.
Reviewed by: AI editorial process; not yet individually human-reviewed
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What this dot point is asking
WJEC asks you to explain how to decide whether information you find online can be trusted. Because anyone can publish anything on the internet, you need a set of checks to separate reliable sources from inaccurate, biased or out-of-date ones. The exam form is "describe the checks you would make" or "explain why a source might be unreliable", so you need named criteria you can apply.
Why reliability must be checked
The internet has no overall editor or fact-checker.
Authority and accuracy
The first checks are who wrote it and whether it stands up.
Bias and currency
Next, consider the angle and the age of the information.
Corroboration
Finally, see whether other sources agree.
Applying the checks
The exam rewards working through the criteria on a real source.
Misinformation, disinformation and fake news
It helps to know the language used around unreliable information. Misinformation is false or inaccurate information that is shared without intending to deceive, such as an honest mistake passed on by someone who believes it. Disinformation is false information spread deliberately to mislead, for example to push an agenda or cause harm. "Fake news" is a common term for false stories presented as real news, often designed to be shared widely. Social media makes all of these spread quickly, because posts can be shared by millions before anyone checks them, and people may trust content that comes from a friend. This is exactly why the reliability checks matter: applying authority, accuracy, bias, currency and corroboration is the defence against believing and re-sharing false information.
Why this matters
Judging reliability is one of the most useful real-world skills in the course: misinformation and "fake news" spread quickly online, especially through social media, and acting on false information can be harmful. The criteria here, authority, accuracy, bias, currency and corroboration, give a repeatable way to think critically about what you read, and they connect directly to the social networking dot point (where information spreads fast and unchecked) and to the ethical impacts of digital technology.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
WJEC-style4 marksA student is researching a school project online. Describe four checks they could make to judge whether a website is a reliable source of information.Show worked answer →
Authority: check who wrote it and whether they are an expert or a respected organisation, for example a university, government or established news site, rather than an anonymous author.
Accuracy: check whether claims are supported by evidence or references, and whether the spelling and facts appear correct.
Currency: check the date to see whether the information is up to date, which matters for fast-changing topics.
Corroboration: check whether other reliable sources agree with the information; if several independent sites say the same, it is more trustworthy.
Markers award one mark for each valid check with a brief explanation, up to four marks. Other acceptable points include checking for bias or a one-sided viewpoint, and whether the site is trying to sell something.
WJEC-style2 marksExplain why information on a website might be biased, and why this matters.Show worked answer →
A website might be biased because the author or organisation has a particular viewpoint, or something to gain, such as selling a product, promoting an opinion or supporting a cause, so they present only one side.
This matters because biased information may be incomplete or misleading, so relying on it could lead to a wrong conclusion; you should check other sources for a balanced picture.
Markers give one mark for a reason for bias (a viewpoint or something to gain) and one mark for why it matters (incomplete/misleading, need to corroborate). A specific example, such as a company's own site praising its product, supports the answer.
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Sources & how we know this
- WJEC GCSE Digital Technology specification — WJEC (2021)
- WJEC GCSE Digital Technology Unit 1 guide — WJEC (2020)