Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
10.6.1
Credibility
Credibility is given to us by others, meaning that it needs a context of interaction.
The ways to obtain credibility depends on the context we have. Gradim (
2009
: 69)
says that while old media obtained their credibility from authority and from a labo-
riously built brand name, in new media credibility and/or authority depends on the
ongoing communicative process and of the quality of the collective intelligence that
is generated. In the same line Benkler (
2008
: 54) states 'our old forms of assigning
credibility and authority to a claim were closely aligned with the institutional ori-
gins of the claim. As information production becomes radically decentralized, new
models of authority are seeking similar recognition'.
We could also add that to cyberspace, credibility can be tested. In this way the
possibility we have to recover information published in the past, to fi nd information
published in other countries, to use search engines to localise information, etc., are
mainstream.
Even more important is the fact that on the internet, users are part of a social
network through which they can communicate easily, working as reporters from
their own neighbourhoods, towns or countries. The points of view of users who are
from different places around the world about a topic, a person or a project are very
relevant to build credibility. We differentiate three levels on which Indiegogo and
Kickstarter assemble elements that help to build credibility for users: support, iden-
tity and trajectory.
There are three dimensions of support, given by the online crowdfunding plat-
forms: support based on alliances, support based on experience and support based
on popularity. Firstly, support based on alliances means to have partners. Both
crowdfunding online platforms, Indiegogo and Kickstarter, have partners. Indiegogo
is supported by enterprises, organisations and institutions such as YouTube, UC
Santa Barbara Technology Management Program or the American Red Cross.
Among the partners of Kickstarter are Sundance Institute and The Guardian.
Support based on experience is visible through testimonials of people who have
achieved their goals. These testimonials are composed by the name and the surname
of the creators and sentences expressed by them. Kickstarter includes also the quan-
tity of money they raised, the number of backers who supported their project and the
name of their projects. One example of testimonial from Kickstarter reads:
'Kickstarter creates a community of people interested in what you're doing, and the com-
munity that's created is important'. Braxton Pope. raised $159,015 from 1,050 backers for
'The Canyons'
One testimonial from Indiegogo says:
'With Indiegogo I found supporters for my fi lm from around the globe. People who have
not only become new collaborators but new friends' Anna Newman. Pinball Donut Girl.
Finally, support based on popularity refers to Twitter followers and to Facebook
friends. Indiegogo Twitter account has 163,000 followers, and 235,427 persons
