Assessing the Reliability of open Source Information

Open source information on the Internet can contribute significantly to such assessments as competitive intelligence, business trends, or evolving social attitudes. However, because the accuracy of this open source information varies widely, the correctness of the information needs to be assessed before it can be used reliably. Current methods for estimating correctness rely on the subjective opinions of knowledgeable people in the field and can vary among evaluators. Today, new data collection and information management tools enable objective reviewer-independent assessment of open source information correctness. These tools support four objective methods for estimating reliability: (1) objective assessment of the historical accuracy of a particular source, by subject matter and viewpoint; (2) selfassessment of reliability from the source itself; (3) consistency of report with prior incidents and with established facts; and (4) consistency of information with other independent reports. This paper describes how these techniques are employed in Evidence Based Research’s war rooms to help clients understand the diversity and credibility of viewpoints on clientselected topics.