Experts By Default

One of the problems that exists with the internet, I believe, is that it has developed tiers like our political system. In essence, the people with the power dominate the internet, while the many without the power sit on the sidelines. Terms like Page Rank, SEO, and RSS mean a lot to the few, but to the average internet user this means next to nothing. Which leads me to my concern: quality information is not always readily available to those who don't know how to find it.

Let's consider this "case study:"

In April 2008, I published a short post consisting primarily of information regarding homelessness in Detroit. All information that is readily available on the internet from the website of the organization I cited. Which, in itself, should come as no surprise, as much of the information on the internet is readily repeated until it becomes ingrained in the memory of the search engines (ever wondered how those spam chain letters keep popping up, years after they started?). But the problem, I have found, is that because of some basic internet skills and average numbers of readership, I have suddenly become an "expert" on the topic of Detroit homelessness. Within days, my post became a top-three hit on Google and the number one hit on Yahoo. As a web guy, my first result was positive, until I noticed what was not a top result. The actual agencies who are on the ground, every day, fighting homelessness in Detroit.

There are a whole list of agencies working in Detroit, every day. And the average internet user won't find them, because they are buried three, four, or a dozen pages into the search results. And results constantly emphasize that internet users rarely venture past the top few results, let alone the second, third, or twentieth page.

Hopefully, the new mission that some friends of mine started, http://freemissionwebsites.com/, will help remedy this. If you don't know the internet, you cannot capture the interest and enthusiasm that comes with its user base. And this means a huge hit to potential donors of time and resources. I do not mind being a voice for Detroit Homelessness, I just hope that the true champions in our city get their to be heard.