Activity 4.2: Reflection

Assessing Online Content

1. Can medical websites help you diagnose any health problems? Is it safe to take actions concerning your health based on advice from the web? 

    A lot of medical websites are emerging online. However, it is important to remember that not all of these sites are reliable, especially in the aspect of health. It is important to take note of the authority of the site. Health related websites should be managed by healthcare workers like doctors and nurses. Websites such as https://www.webmd.com provide credible health information and features such as symptom checker and pill identifier. 

    Although sites like WebMD may give reliable information, it is still advised to go to a hospital for proper diagnosis (especially on health issues needing physical examination or surgery).

2. It is critical to comprehend what "harmful online content" entails. International human rights law lays out a number of legitimate limitations on freedom of expression, particularly where it clashes with other rights. Incitement to violence or racial hatred, child sex imagery, and defamation are examples of topics that may be forbidden. International law requires that limits be finely specified and overseen by the courts in each case. Do you have any experiences that you have had with any one of the challenges outlined above? How did you deal with it? What was the final outcome? What lessons did you learn?

    I experienced being tagged on a hateful post by a random FB friend that I never met in person. I was shocked at that time because I didn’t know the reason for such hateful words. However, as I was just young and new to social media, I composed myself and ignored those false accusations. I removed the post from being tagged on my account and blocked her for good.

    From that experience, I learned that it is important for someone to choose his/her friends wisely (may it be online or in person). Also always check your account from time to time to avoid any inappropriate content to be tagged on you.