Twenty-six authoritative people, covering a range of academic disciplines and roles, were interviewed for their views on quality control of (i) research communications, (ii) data compilations, (iii) digital learning and teaching (L&T) materials in higher education, and (iv) scholarly communications on Web 2.0. Transcripts of the interviews were analysed qualitatively. Little change was expected in peer-review procedures in the next five years. 'Double-blind' peer review is widespread in the social sciences but almost unknown in the sciences. Neither electronic-only publication nor Open Access is expected to impact substantially on quality control of research communications. For L&T materials, a 'caveat emptor' approach is urged upon lecturers and students alike when they contemplate materials found on the Internet by using search engines. Quality of data compilations varies greatly with discipline: resources susceptible to algorithmic check, such as those in genomics, astronomy and crystallography, are reliable, and older scientific databanks maintained by international scientific unions are sound. Those in the social sciences - including Government statistics - may be of doubtful quality. In the humanities, image databanks need good metadata to be usable. Web 2.0 social-networking is popular with the younger generation, but there is doubt whether it supplants formal scholarly communication.