TOI's Views On The Internet

In this editorial. The theme is that the Internet has lots of information floating around. Unfortuntely lots of misinformation too, so beware, and someone needs to do something about it, now. Beginning thus:

The Internet no doubt challenges ignorance, but it is also a purveyor of false information. It is decentralised and anarchic, since nobody controls or owns it. To borrow a phrase from al Biruni, it is a mixture of pearls, pebbles and dung. Yet, many people utterly believe what is posted on the Net. Newspapers tap the Net for background information.

the article goes on to quote specific instances of bad information. For example,

A newspaper described Aryabhata as "a scholar at the Nalanda university" ... Some speculate that Aryabhata was head of Nalanda university. Even if this were true, it does not necessarily mean that he was a student there...

Hate to split hairs, but the word scholar has at least two meanings : 1. a learned person 2. a student. So the newspaper could have been right you know. But then I got the two meanings from dictionary.com - another piece of bad information? Have to check that one with TOI.

Touching though the editorial is in its concern for exposing the Internet for what it is, one would expect TOI not to be misled. So what is this (via India Uncut - a blog by Amit Varma) all about? A spoof reported as a news item by the very same TOI?

If you do follow the above link, you will see that the TOI link no longer points to the Aishwarya story but an equally bizarre Munnabhai story! Mira Nair to direct an English version of Munnabhai MBBS? Is TOI spreading misinformation itself? Whom do we turn to now!

And the solution offered is as ludicrous as the spoof-as-news:

Indian newspapers should form a consortium to set up an online Indipaedia or encyclopaedia Indica. A committed band of editors and contributors should prepare entries. This might seem like an ambitious and long-drawn affair but may be worth the effort.

I agree with the "long-drawn" but not so much with the "may be worth the effort". Who gave Indian newspapers the right to the "Indian perspective" anyway!