It is the obligation of any self-respecting translator or interpreter to have reliable sources. Many times, through social media we come across hoaxes, lies, and rumors that our contacts divulge as being true, be it by ignorance or just because they are ill informed.
Who hasn’t read on a friend’s Facebook wall:
“Through this communication Facebook is notified that is strictly prohibited….”
These lies/rumors are nothing more than a nuisance when we are on leisure time, and they can be easily removed from social media. In fact, there are pages that are dedicated to taking them down, such as:
http://www.archerphoto.eu/esmentira/
Others dare to prove the authenticity of these claims with tips and tricks.
http://thatsnonsense.com/blog/internet-rumors-how-to-debunk-internet-rumours/
But one thing that they all coincide with is in checking and double checking the veracity of what is said. This is just an example in social media and leisure issues; but can you imagine what could happen in a translation for which we will be charging and our sources are not reliable? Our work could be seriously compromised if, as it occurs on many occasions, we see that in bibliographies Wikipedia or Rincón de Vago are cited.
This is why it is fundamental to correctly document our work, something that also crosses over to our personal lives. It is important to doubt anything that we are told or that comes to us from a not so reliable source (friends, Facebook, someone’s cousin). A website’s reputation is its principal value, and our documentation is our main weapon against any criticism.