This is the Information Age. Information abounds, it is traded, bought, sold, and forms the basis for many businesses in the world. Without information, decisions cannot be made to determine how much water a city might need to operate on a daily basis, a truck driver may not know which route will get them to their destination, and knowing how to bake a cake can be impossible without a recipe. These are some basic examples of ways in which information is both useful and helps keep the world running.
Information plays a role in how we interpret and remember events of the past. If we did not know the who, what, why, where, when and how of a country's history, it would be nearly impossible to tell how that country got to be where it is today. Much less, be able to determine which relationships between countries have been beneficial to the world and which have been detrimental to its development.
Information helps us make sound decisions about the course to set for the future as well. Projections of company earnings give insight to which stocks might be worth purchasing. Specs of soon to be released technologies helps individuals decide which pieces of tech they want to spend their hard earned money on. Job outlooks give students insight into which fields will command a higher demand for employees and how they might be compensated.
Information is powerful, it has the ability to solicit a wide range of emotions depending on how it is presented. As such, everyone needs to be wary of the information they come across. Nothing should be taken at face value and there is a growing need to bring this kind of awareness to the masses. In a time when over information is a problem, everyone should act as an information ambassador and work towards a common goal of always evaluating information, no matter where it is coming from.
One of the more recent issues that has arisen surrounding information is that of "Fake News". This phrase exists as an easy way to point to any source of information and label it as false, unreliable, and lacking the necessary truth to facilitate a productive discussion. This can be troublesome as it dumbs down the process that is needed to determine the true worth of information. The idea of fake news is nothing new to the world. Humanity has always made attempts to disguise the truth, omit the truth, and deny the truth. There are multiple instances in which the truth is not made clear, or where the truth takes a backseat to promoting certain ideas. There is also a desire by many to say that "their" truth is more right than someone else's truth. One of the biggest issues with information is that it is often presented from one side of the story and does not consider alternate perspectives.
When thinking about fake news, be sure to consider whether that piece of information could actually be true. If it is, most likely there will be other sources that corroborate the information you have received. It is important to not get too caught up in the idea that only the news is fake. There exists many who are trying to push an agenda and their reasons for doing so need to be identified.
When you think of propaganda, your first thought may be the war time efforts of the United States to belittle or otherwise ostracize groups who would have been in direct opposition to what the country wanted to achieve. These would have come in the form of posters, comics, and characterization of cultures. However, it does not stop there. Propaganda could be used to push positive values, and reinforce positive ideals. At the end of the day it exists as a another form of delivering information or a point of view.
One important distinction to make is between Facts and Opinions. There will be individuals who pose their opinions like facts, and expect them to be taken at face value. Facts can be used to mislead, just like opinions or pseudo-facts can be used to misinform.
Fact: Gwinnett Technical College's enrollment is over 9000 students for Spring 2020.
Opinion: Gwinnett Technical College's enrollment will double in size by Spring 2021.
The first statement is a truth that can be verified by looking at the current enrollment of the school. Unless the numbers are being exaggerated to mislead the public, and it is unlikely that is case since these numbers are checked by state auditors, this statement can be believed to be true.
The second statement, while nice to believe, has no basis in truth. It sounds like a lofty goal, especially if you examine the rate at which the student body has grown on a year over year basis. If no plan is presented to make this statement a reality, it is nothing more than someone's opinion, or speculation, on the matter.
This is a simple way of looking at this topic, but it is an important first step in understanding how information can easily be presented and made to look like a fact. The words being used make the statement look official and most will not give it a second thought. The evaluation of information is a continual struggle that requires a conscious decision to think about the information being presented.
One of the most common forms of misinformation is lying. This is not the same thing as someone who is ignorant of the truth pushing their point of view. Take for instance an individual who claims they saw a raccoon digging through their trash. What they actually saw was a cat. Are they lying? They are not only if they truly believe it was a raccoon. Are they being irresponsible for sharing information they did not verify? Yes. However, that cannot be considered a lie. One important thing to remember is that intent does not matter either way if the information is false. Always be sure to check any facts against at least one other source. Depending on the context and weight of the information, you will want to double check it against multiple sources.
The discussion surrounding trustworthy information is ongoing, and it should always remain at the forefront of people's minds. There are resources in the library that can assist you with familiarizing yourself with the discussion and the topics that will help you be a more savvy consumer of information.
These books can be found in the library here at Gwinnett Technical College:
Fake News, Propaganda, and Plain Old Lies by Donald A. Barclay
Recognizing Bias by Aidan M. Ryan
News Literacy: The Keys to Combating Fake News by Michelle Luhtala & Jacquelyn Whiting
