1. An information providing method for use in an information management system which collects log information from a target device through a network and provides services by reference to the log information, the method comprising: transmitting, in response to a user's access using a display terminal, first display data to the display terminal, the first display data including a plurality of check items to be used by the user who is choosing a service provider to be allowed to use the log information to check the reliability of the service provider; receiving selection information representing a set of selected check items including at least one check item that has been selected from the plurality of check items included in the first display data using the display terminal; transmitting second display data representing a set of reference check items to the display terminal, the set of reference check items including, among a plurality of check items that have been received from a number of other users' terminals, check items which are either similar to, or the same as, check items that are included in the set of selected check items represented by the selection information; receiving editing information representing an edited set of check items obtained by editing the set of selected check items by reference to the set of reference check items represented by the second display data at the display terminal, from the display terminal; and providing the target device's log information to a computer of the service provider who has been chosen based on the edited set of check items.