• Eszter Hargittai and others
• International Journal of Communication, Vol 4 (2010)

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23 September 2010Using unique data about how a diverse group of young adults looks for and evaluates Web content, this paper makes contributions to existing literature by highlighting factors beyond site features in how users assess credibility.

Little of the work on online credibility assessment has considered how the information-seeking process figures into the final evaluation of content people encounter. Using unique data about how a diverse group of young adults looks for and evaluates Web content, this paper makes contributions to existing literature by highlighting factors beyond site features in how users assess credibility. The authors find that the process by which users arrive at a site is an important component of how they judge the final destination. In particular, search context, branding and routines, and a reliance on those in one’s networks play important roles in online information-seeking and evaluation. The paper also discusses the way that users differ considerably in their skills when it comes to judging online content credibility.

Authors: Eszter Hargittai, Lindsay Fullerton, Ericka Menchen-Trevino, Kristin Yates Thomas.