The Christmas break gave me some to think and reflect. We are clearly living through an information crisis. Some call it information disorder. It’s easy to despair, especially after the Capitol siege which was inspired in large part by the false narrative that Trump won the election.
But I refuse to despair.
Wrong or bad information has been around forever but since 2016 the role of social platforms has come under the microscope. We now understand so much more about their ability to algorithmically promote falsehoods. And we know so much more about the actions of disinformation actors.
Much has been written and will continue to be explored in diagnosing the problem. Bring it on. We need to understand it more, of course. Especially after a year of rampant COVID-19 misinformation.
But I’m eager to progress the discussions on what the solutions are.
First, let’s acknowledge that it’s difficult. This is extremely complex stuff.
But we can’t shrug our shoulders and meekly accept that living in a state of information disorder is a growing trend that we just have to live with. Democracy may die. What kind of world will the next generation inherit?
When any new technology is introduced, there’s a chaotic period where we come to terms with its affects on humans. Think of the car: we now have speed limits, seat belts, street lights. We haven’t completely reduced all road deaths but we’ve made huge progress in doing so.
So, to put another way, what tools can we implement to flatten the curve of misinformation? We will never eradicate false information completely. We will never stop every falsehood from ever existing. But we have to see how we can move out of this era into a better one.
What is the blueprint? What are the options? What would this brave new world look like?
We will need to apply a broad lens. Making progress requires nuanced solutions all working in tandem to mutually reinforce each other.
I’m going to spend each month this year diving into various areas to explore the strengths and weaknesses of each. The process should result in a mental map of all the different solutions we need. I’ll be looking at things like content moderation, fact checking, technology, the underlying business models, regulation, polarisation, empathy, the role of the media, public-private partnerships and exciting new experiments in digital connection.
First up, on January 31, I’ll take a deep dive into media literacy. Just like any other proposed solution, on its own it won’t be enough. Still, it has to be one of the key factors.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on media literacy. Are there initiatives you are particularly impressed by? Reading materials you’d like to share? Suggestions on the strengths or weaknesses of media literacy as a tool to tackle misinformation? I’d love to hear from you on it.
PS. I wrote all this yesterday, before The Guardian published a brilliant piece with thoughts on solutions. Well worth a read here.