Description: This session will address the concept of misinformation – what it is, when it occurs, and how what is misinformation in one context may be good information in another. I will present the status of information as context-dependent, leading to the importance of considering context with sensitivity, empathy, and a critical eye. This session is distinct because it attempts to stretch misinformation from a black and white concept to a larger spectrum. We will briefly examine evidence of the ways information systems exacerbate issues of misinformation.
After considering evidence and examples of misinformation, the session will shift toward discussing fundamental questions information and library science must consider when taking action in regard to misinformation, such as the tension between providing the highest level of service and providing accurate and unbiased information. We will also consider Ranganathan’s law, “every book its source” in connection to misinformation.
This session is needed as our society grapples with the implications of misinformation at every level and every institution. While everyday we are confronted with examples of misinformation and attempts to fix it, we do not hear nearly enough about what it is. I would attend this because I think the information and ideas presented will grant the necessary understanding to begin handling complex issues of misinformation with the humanity they warrant.
About the Presenter: Samantha J. Kaplan is a doctoral student in the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She completed a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina. She studies misinformation at the intersection of health and everyday life contexts.
This webinar will be recorded and made available on the conference website at a later time.