Changes in societal information flow

Unsurprisingly, there has been notable changes in how information flows through society in the past 50 years. Before the internet, the flow could be described as moving from source to journalist to news consumers and then spreading throughout the greater public based on personal connections.

This had various pros and cons. In a time when journalists held a relatively coveted position with an association of integrity, their positions were more secure and the pressure to be informative and accurate was more acute than in times more recent. Consumers of their news would typically be suitably educated to understand the content and their interactions with friends, family and other contacts would allow tailored messaging suitable for the recipient. So, for example, folk with greater understanding would be able to determine how to talk with other similar individuals or if it was more appropriate to adjust their conversations to those with less understanding.

While journalists were held to a higher account, they had more control over the flow of information and that allowed potential abuse. Controlling the flow of information was possible for those with government control or with the power or influence (read ‘money’) to sway the journalists or the journalist’s employers. Media organisations became some of the most persuasive and the most wealthy based on this potential influence.

With the internet, information has been allowed to flow much more freely. It is now far less controllable by one individual or organisation. Social media has made this process more efficient again as individuals are able to connect and share information across their networks of friends and acquaintances. A side-effect  of this is the erosion of authority that was once placed in journalists. Media organisations have had to resort far more to using emotive topics to ensure they stay relevant to their customers. If topics are not emotive, it is in their interest to make them emotive.

Other individuals and organisations have taken advantage of this change to produce emotive content without the need to maintain the integrity or objectivity that traditional media organisations were bound to. So the average consumer, while now the receiver of more news than ever, can easily receive more biased and less trustworthy news. On top of that, the ability of individuals to personally tailor their communications with others while discussing new topics is greatly diminished.

It has all lead to a polarizing of view points. Two polar ends could be defined as a spectrum from those who respond to reasoned rational debate to those who respond to emotive topics. These issues have only become more apparent as the internet and social media has become more widely used. It has not been a good outcome with democracies now faltering in the face of concerted efforts to sway views.

Hence the urgent need for new tools to help netizens to bring integrity back to our information and news consumption.