As a 24 year old college graduate, I am enamored with the internet.  Google saved my life a million times as I searched for answers to difficult homework assignments—and it answers “the meaning of life” in .07 seconds.  But one of my favorite professors, the both famous and infamous Dr. Peer, ended up outlawing the use of Google for his both famous and infamous library search test.

A very opinioned man, Dr. Peer feels that modern college students rely too much on the Internet.  He feels that there are some things you simply can’t find on the World Wide Web.  With the prevalence of Google and its instant results in the search for truth, many people are inclined to simply call him old fashioned.

But relying on Google to answer all your problems (scholastic and otherwise) can create problems.  For example, there are errors in the online translations of Chinese laws.  The German translations of both Chinese Company Law and Securities law have errors and completely deleted sections.

How would you like to get in trouble for breaking a law you didn’t know existed?  Or how about missing a tax break because the copy of the law you read didn’t include it?  The fact of the matter is that no one is responsible for monitoring the seemingly unlimited content online.  Google only finds content for you.  It cannot guarantee accuracy.  So in truly important matters, I would suggest reading documents in the original or at least from trusted sites.  And if you can’t read Chinese, you are out of luck.  Just kidding, just find someone who does.

I guess I might start looking elsewhere than Google for the meaning of life.