I’ve taken the liberty at looking at Google’s newest offering: Knol. It’s essentially a so-called collection of wiki articles “written by supposedly professionals,” allowing for individuals to submit their credit card or telephone numbers to Google before they can be “verified” as credible authors.
My point wasn’t about the entire concept: Citizendium already has such mechanisms to ensure the professional take on their articles. (And, by the way, Ars Technica has already done the dirty work of “analysing Knol’s potential flaws.”) I am referring to the insane amount of medical listings offered by Knol.
Although my National Service term is coming to an end, I do, however, speak out in favour of my organization. Serving in the emergency ambulance unit, I find it interesting that there is a public domain for information regarding diseases and various ailments we sometimes attend to. It’s not so much about the availability of such diseases that is of concern. It’s rather about how the public might misconstrue such articles as “true and verified.” (That is because of how Knol works: verfication of authors is as simple as making a credit card or telephone number, and send them to Google.)
What Ars Technica pointed out about the potential abuse of the system is just a tip of the iceberg. My organization’s concerns will be how to deal with the “Mr. Smarty Pants” patients/relatives who think they are above the paramedics in dictating what kind of treatment they/their kin are supposed to be entitled with.
Hopefully SCDF will deal with this situation.
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