Trust in information: A challenge in the digital age
Trust in information is one of the fundamental principles of building public communication.
We are in a vast flow of information and need to obtain it. The Internet has increased the speed of information transmission and communication, leading to a decrease in the quality of data and the emergence of streams of disinformation. Users can sometimes only guess what information is in front of them. Thus, the root cause of the decrease in trust in communication is the structure of the digital environment, which has increased the flow of information from various sources. Now, anyone can become a source of information and distribute it to a broad audience.
In addition, the commercial structure of the Internet has created a breeding ground for the spread of disinformation. This is manifested in algorithms that provide information based on our preferences, sometimes dividing it into verified and unverified. Such algorithms create a specific feed that satisfies our opinions and beliefs, regardless of reliability. The information society operates on post-truth principles, where people believe more in popular information than evidence. Thus, commercial structures work with templates that promote the spread of information, regardless of its correctness. We are talking about the importance of advancing knowledge, not its reliability. Irrespective of how false information is refuted, it can continue circulating in the digital space and take many forms. This becomes a big problem in creating disinformation and conspiracy theories that affect the overall reliability of information.
Let's talk about ways to increase trust in information and journalism.
First of all, we should speak of a systemic approach to this problem: the creation of joint practices between states, social platforms, news agencies, and non-profit organizations. Reducing the flow of such information using various methods of combating disinformation is entirely possible. Also, increasing funding for fact-checking organizations and other initiatives in this area will allow you to get reliable information or quickly refute disinformation, which is essential on the Internet. In addition, social platforms must make the rules for using algorithms more transparent and understand how they work to identify and respond to problematic information quickly. We see how often each social platform changes the directions for using it and its management to combat disinformation, but cross-platform interaction negates any improvement. Naturally, such a problem can be associated with the technical side of the algorithms, which should be more accurate in identifying such information. However, at the moment, only a systemic approach can lead to actual results in combating the information epidemic and other information flows.
Finally, creating more materials on digital ethics and media literacy is essential.
People sometimes need to learn to verify the information they receive and identify reliable sources. They are faced with various interpretations and opinions, and it is necessary to clarify who is the source of such information. Thus, increasing educational resources on critical thinking and data analysis on the Internet is vital and should be available in many resources for familiarization.
