Sponsored by:

Beware of Message Boards

As Internet communication has increased, so too has the number of message boards and web logs offering opinions and advice on thermography. Unfortunately, you can’t always believe everything you read.

Message boards and web logs or “blogs” have become popular forums for the exchange of information on a wide variety of topics. With most message boards, individuals can post information to a public website on a wide variety of topics. Most message boards offer real-time posting and do not restrict membership.

Because message boards are usually offered at no charge, they are attractive to anyone looking for quick access to information. Unfortunately, the information provided is frequently incomplete, inaccurate, or misleading.

When referring to a message board for technical information, keep the following in mind:

• Message boards frequently operate with little or no supervision
• Message board content is usually not edited for accuracy
• Message board posts may be anonymous or under a fictitious name

Lastly, message board editors are not obligated to remove inaccurate information. Selective editing of posted information by a message board administrator does not mean that all posts are checked for accuracy or bias. When visiting a message board, the best advice is to treat posted information with conditional acceptance until its accuracy can be verified.