A webpage may be considered to have Harmfully Misleading Information based on the MC or on other characteristics of the page or information about the content creator (e.g., the title of an article is harmfully misleading, even if the article on its own is not; a creator blatantly misrepresenting their medical credentials for a video on medical topics). Finally, note that Harmfully Misleading Information can be especially hard to identify because it may require research from outside sources. Reputable fact-checking websites can't always keep up with the volume of unsubstantiated theories/claims produced by the Internet, and some theories may even claim that debunking information is inaccurate. You should attempt to find high-quality, trustworthy sources to check accuracy and seek out the consensus of experts if you are unsure. Please research theories and claims to the extent the task time allows. If a theory/claim seems wildly improbable and can't be verified by independent trustworthy sources, you should consider it unsubstantiated.
7.4
Untrustworthy Webpages or Websites
The Lowest rating should be used for pages or websites you strongly suspect are engaging in deceptive or malicious practices. Some untrustworthy pages are created to benefit the website or organization rather than helping people. Some untrustworthy pages may even exist to cause harm to people who engage with the page, such as scams or malicious downloads. Why would anyone engage with a harmful web page? Often it is because the page or website practices some form of deception. Because some deceptive pages may in fact be harmful, please use caution. Known or "obvious" scams are clearly harmful and should be rated Lowest , but there may also be pages you strongly suspect are scams yet cannot prove it without experiencing harm yourself. Please consider these pages to be untrustworthy and use the Lowest rating. Your assessment of untrustworthiness may be based on the content of the page, information about the website, information about the content creator, and the reputation of the website or content creator. Your assessment may also be based on a l ack of critically important information. For example, any website involving financial transactions or sensitive information should have comprehensive information about who is responsible for the site and a way to contact the site if something goes wrong. If some aspect of a page or website makes you suspect deception or maliciousness, please look for information about the site. If you cannot find reputation information to confirm your suspicion, carefully explore the site. Sometimes a single page on an unknown website in isolation may seem odd but subsequent exploration shows no concern. However, if you see a pattern of what appears to be deception or manipulation or become concerned about your own safety, please use the Lowest rating and leave the website immediately. Pages with the following characteristics should be considered Untrustworthy: ● Inadequate information about the website for its purpose ● Lowest E-A-T or Lowest reputation ● Deceptive purpose, deceptive design, or deceptive intent ● Deliberately obstructed or obscured MC ● Suspected malicious behavior ● Any webpage or website designed to manipulate people into actions that benefit the website or other organization while causing harm to self, others or Specified Groups Important : Highly untrustworthy pages should be given the Lowest rating even if you are unable to "prove" the webpage or site is harmful. Because many people are unwilling to use a highly untrustworthy page, an untrustworthy page or website fails to achieve its purpose.
7.4.1 Inadequate Information about the Website or Creator of the MC for the Purpose of the Page
Providing information about who created the content and who is responsible for the content is critical to building trust with people who visit the page.
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