A minor revelation:  when people complain that you can't believe what you read on the net, it's not because there isn't factual information on the net, it's because they're not seeking factual information- it's because they're seeking authority.

There is a difference.  Suppose I want to know how many tons of coal are mined in this country every year.  I'm certain I could find that information on the net.  Not only that, I could find some cross-references and I could verify the information, or possibly learn that nobody can say exactly how much coal is mined.

In the end, I would have satisfied myself on this point, and I would understand how I got there.

A person seeking authority doesn't care about all of that- they just want "a fact".  They want the national association of coal producer's statement of fact, or something like it.

And so, if they can't be sure they have got hold of the authority on the subject, they will doubt the facts.