Stop Being Swayed by Information

Infodemic

Infodemic. Some of you may have learned this word in 2020.
It is a term that refers to the 'infection of information (misinformation)' created from a pandemic.

Last month, a statement by an individual on social media caused toilet paper to disappear from drugstores across the country. Nowadays, the influence of an individual's information can take on a life of its own due to social media.

Back in 2003, SARS was prevalent. At that time, problems like the current misinformation did not occur. This is entirely due to the fact that the maturity of information technology was completely different.

How can we stop being swayed by information and reclaim our own time?

To do that, we need to take a step back from the flood of information and face our attitude toward the accuracy of information don't you think?

What is stolen by information

In daily life, a notification sound rings from my pocket casually. I open it with excitement, only to find it's information that someone I don't know liked my tweet.

When I open Facebook, I see someone's marriage announcement and press 'like' out of courtesy.

Two things have been stolen here. They are 'the mental space to think about information' and 'time.' My brain gets filled with information from someone I don't know. Furthermore, I am robbed of the time to take action on it.

Is this really necessary? Most of it is probably unnecessary.

How should we judge whether something is necessary?
It lies in practicing 'digital minimalism'.

Digital minimalism means sticking to a stance of 'discarding things that don't spark joy' in the 'digital' realm.

For example, it goes like this. First, delete all your apps. After deciding not to use them for a month, think about whether the deleted apps are 'truly necessary for me' before adding them back. By doing so, you shut out the time being stolen and useless information. The point is not to keep apps just because of 'functionality' or 'newness'.

What we should value is reality. It is to cherish this world we live in and the people around us. A 'digital minimalist' teaches us that.

Accuracy of information

After reducing the places where you come into contact with information, the issue becomes the accuracy of the information you encounter.

The development of information technology is remarkable. Technology that fabricates data by machine-learning the voice of a politician to make them say things they never said, or by manipulating videos, is being used everywhere. This is what is called 'deepfake'.

And media is a mirror that reflects the reader. If an anti-government person reads a headline like 'Prime Minister to Extend State of Emergency,' they will likely spew complaints about the Prime Minister on social media.

Information technology is increasingly becoming a weapon for political use. The Trump administration used information technology in the 2016 news cycle to win the election. Netflix's 'The Great Hack' is a documentary that exposes the reality of this, and you can witness the dangers of information technology vividly.

To pursue the accuracy of information, you must be conscious of many things, but I think what is important is to discern 'which stance the media takes' regarding 'whose news' and 'how it is being conveyed'. It is also important to investigate 'what is not written' in the headlines.

The Great Hack mentions that "data has surpassed the value of oil."Both carry the risk of explosion if not managed properly.

That is precisely why the literacy to confront and engage with information effectively is becoming increasingly necessary.

Data Literacy explains in detail the fake news strategies of various countries and the current structure of mass media. It is highly recommended.

From the Fast Era to the Slow Era

We need to return ourselves to the slow era. The way we engage with information is shifting from thinking about everything quickly to carefully considering only what is important.

Now is the time to reduce the overflowing information and face what is true. This will become the armor that protects you and the weapon that connects you to your next action.

To protect your future self, go slow.