Web evaluation criteria and methods

Web Evaluation www.whitehouse.gov is the official website of the executive branch of the United States government. The site includes links to biography pages for the President and Vice President, biographies of Mrs. Bush and Mrs. Cheney, histories of the White House, official speech transcripts, current and recent event news articles, and official statements of policy on issues ranging from the environment to foreign affairs. The White House website also includes a special educational section for kids as well as Spanish-language support. An official Presidential seal flanks each page in a top frame, denoting site authority and authenticity. Unfortunately, however, there is no information about the site's authorship, its web designers, or its editors. Legitimacy is inferred via the White House name and its implied prestige only. Consequently, www.whitehouse.gov also does not include any references to outside sources or websites, as its material is considered to be used as a primary source. Similarly, there are few if any links to outside sources so that viewers can verify any material contained on the site or do further research. Although the official site of the White House is well organized and easy to navigate, the site is also biased. Because the web site is designed to promote the point-of-view of the Presidency, opposing viewpoints are not addressed at all, let alone investigated. News pieces on the web site are only those that show the President and the White House in a favorable light. Therefore, although the web site is authoritative and up-to-date, www.whitehouse.gov is not objective, much like an official press conference or press report representing only official White House statements.

Unlike many organizational or governmental websites, www.whitehouse.gov has no "About" section to tell viewers about the governing principles of the site or about its authorship and editing. Such a section could clarify for visitors the nature of the White House website, its mission statement or statement of purpose, and related information. Instead, the authors and editors of the site expect viewers to take the authorship and authority of www.whitehouse.gov at face value. Moreover, viewers are expected to trust the content contained on the site because of the presumed authority of the executive branch of the United States government. The White House, does, however, have a high degree of authority as the seat of power of the American government. Also, just as the President hires speech writers, the White House hires writers to compose the material for their site, but the material is still verified and authorized by the White House and the American government. Therefore, one of the greatest strengths of www.whitehouse.gov is its authority as a credible government-authored website. www.whitehouse.gov can be used by students and researchers as a credible primary source for relevant topics. For example, the website would be an ideal launching point for research on specific political issues or for biographical material on the president or vice president. The speech transcripts included on the sites are also guaranteed to be official copies and can be trusted as authoritative sources.

As an authoritative source, www.whitehouse.gov contains fully accurate information, even if all perspectives and controversial issues are not discussed in full. Among the issues discussed are politically relevant ones such as education, social security, and national security. Information about these topics is broad: the content of the web site does not present thorough background information and does not offer conflicting points-of-view. Rather, the website is designed to give the White House's stance on each of the issues. For example, the section on education states, "President Bush on January 14, 2005 highlighted the need to do more to prepare our high school students for the future. His education proposals would ensure that every high school student graduates with the skills needed to succeed in college and in a globally competitive workforce." This statement says little about the actual state of education in America and also says little about what the President is doing specifically about improving education or where the monies will come from. Nevertheless, because of the credibility of the source, the material contained on www.whitehouse.gov can be trusted as being accurate. The viewer must verify content on his or her own, though, as the site does not include links to external sources. Accuracy of the website is also evident in the exact transcripts of speeches.

One of the greatest weaknesses of www.whitehouse.gov is its lack of objectivity. The website is a bastion of partisan politics. It is designed primarily to present the president's point-of-view and that of his upper-level cabinet. As such, www.whitehouse.gov does not, and perhaps should not, offer dissenting opinions or the perspectives of White House critics. Moreover, the President is portrayed in a positive light and therefore the site is biased entirely. For example, one section of the website reads, "President George W. Bush's first term has been among the most consequential and successful in modern times." That statement is not a universal truth. When the President's record on issues like taxation, education, and national security is discussed, the information blurbs laud the president's record without noting any potential controversy. The dark side of presidential spending or specific new congressional bills would not be included on www.whitehouse.gov because to paint the president in a negative light would be contrary to the purpose of the website. The selection of political topics is also an indication of the biases inherent in the site's content. For example, the environment and other top issues are not listed in the main frame, but matters that the President has championed such as national security are part of the main frame. Controversial topics such as matters of foreign policy and national security are presented from one perspective only and the White House is depicted as being benevolent and immune from criticism. The President is shown as a hero. However, bias on www.whitehouse.gov is natural and to be expected. The White House website basically reflects what the government wants to reveal to the public; its aim is to foster a positive image for the presidency and not to engage in controversy. The result is an informative and useful, if not objective, Internet resource.