The Internet has become a popular source for retrieving information on virtually any topic. This information can generally be retrieved within seconds. With the popularity of the Internet as a research tool it is important that the information received is reliable and accurate. In general, when you use a search engine to search the Internet, the amount of information returned is astronomical. "In a world overloaded with information, it is often extremely difficult to verify the accuracy, completeness and legitimacy of information and materials available on the Internet." (Prins).If you do not thoroughly research the information you receive from certain websites, you may receive misleading and invalid information. It is extremely important that the information received is reliable and accurate. For example, someone might research a medical condition on the Internet and believe that all the information they receive is true. Picking up a site that recommends a treatment regiment that promises to eliminate the problem. They realize that their systems have gotten worse and that the recommended treatment is not working. This incorrect information that the user received from the Internet can be devastating to the user or even lead to death. Anyone can publish anything on the Internet. “Unlike most traditional media (books, magazines, organizational documents), no one has to approve content before it is made public.” (Prins). Everyone who uses the Internet should be aware that because the information is on the Web, it does not make it true. Many of us forget this fact because at one time most of the things that were published were true. But today, as far as the Internet is concerned, this is not a true statement. All information retrieved should be verified for accuracy. To verify that the retrieved information is valid there are a few things the user can do. The user should verify the author. Here are some ideas to verify the author and verify the objectivity; the author is informed; credentials and organizational affiliations are listed; the author has written other material related to the topic; the author is stating a fact or it is his opinion; the information is one-sided or multiple points of view are shared; the information seeks to influence the reader; it is information based on facts.