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There have been any number of discussions about family history in which someone new to the hobby says in all seriousness, "You mean you can't believe everything you read on the Internet?" This isn't an attempt to promote genealogy. It is an effort to point out that inaccurate information gets distributed widely and quickly. The second point is that many people tend to believe the first source of information and it's difficult to change their view of the facts after that.

This came to mind in posting to the Facebook page of a very visible and very successful consumer business. This page gets rapt attention from the company. Unfortunately, there's a lot of evidence that those chiming in in reaction to user posts are at the low end of the experience continuum. They show a tendency to get things wrong.

Usually, this is not terribly serious. but it could be and I am waiting for that day on this particular site. In a previous article, I noted that business owners should visit their websites and social media sites periodically to ensure that what is being said there conveys the message they want distributed.

As in most things in life, the best guarantee is to get it right the first time. This means not automatically viewing it as a low-level job and turning a Facebook page or Twitter page over to the newest hire that gives promise of being able to write. Would you want someone who doesn't understand your profession's terminology lowering your reputation or providing inaccurate information about the services the business provides.

The answer to these better be a loud "No." That means posting information online is not a throwaway job. These duties need to be handled by people the business owner can trust and if that means doing it yourself in a small business, then do it yourself.

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