What is information?

Information is the basic ‘unit’ of content that a person can receive or pass on. Information is based on data – that is, simple facts that can be collected and described. Knowledge about phenomena and events is built up on the basis of a wealth of information.

On social media, information most often takes the form of text, images or videos. At the time of publication, it appears to be up to date, but its relevance quickly fades as further, more recent updates appear. This naturally leads to information overload and the very rapid circulation of news online.

Information may be official in nature when published by government or local authority bodies.

It may be commercial in nature when it comes from companies and brands.

It may also be social in nature when users themselves create and share content. Such material is often referred to as user-generated content.

In the world of search engines and news portals, there is increasing talk of the quality and reliability of content. For example, Google highlights four characteristics: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. This is particularly important for topics such as ‘Your Money, Your Life’, which can affect health, safety or finances.

On social media, there is often less verification of information quality, and user reactions play a huge role. Platforms monitor what people view, comment on, like, share and spend more time on. On this basis, they can tailor content very precisely to specific individuals and groups, as well as target adverts and messages of a particular nature.

It is worth remembering that not all false information is created with the same intention. Sometimes someone shares something because they made a mistake, because they didn’t check the source, or because they trusted the headline too quickly. This is a mistake, but it does not necessarily imply malicious intent. In other situations, content is created deliberately to influence opinion, stir up emotions or prompt a specific action.