Do you trust the information and knowledge you’re getting?
So far in our series of posts to get you thinking about the issues that will be on the table at the Information Futures Summit, we’ve focused on what we will count as information in the future, as well as how to make technology work for the better.
We’ve touched, in particular, on questions around how our perceptions of information are changing – and how technology can be used to shape this for good or for ill. This leads us to our next exercise: from the perspective of individuals, to what extent do they trust the information and knowledge they’re getting?
Trust is invaluable in our lives – we do so many things because we can trust that systems will work – that our food will be safe, that our money won’t be stolen, that we can rely on other people to act properly. In short, we need a certain level of trust in order to be able to participate in society, and realise many of our human rights.
The same goes for information – not having to doubt everything that we read, and take the time to check and double-check – is a major advantage. We can focus more on the things that are most beneficial – or enjoyable – for us.
However, it may not be one that we can necessarily count on. Certainly, the days of deference to authority may well be gone. Too many times, those who have demanded trust have shown themselves not to be worthy of it. Previously relatively unquestioned authorities – governments, mainstream media – are seen as less reliable.
Added to this is uncertainty about what is happening to information about us, when we are accessing information elsewhere. As already highlighted in a previous post, technology makes it possible to collect information that previously wasn’t even seen as information necessarily, for example around our reading and learning habits.
In short, it may be welcome that we are moving away from simply trusting in what we are shown or told. At the same time, we need to avoid the inefficiency of not being able to believe anything.
Perhaps one response is to build confidence (noting that in some languages, the words for trust and confidence is the same). This is more about ensuring that everyone can navigate the information space knowing that they have the basic tools for working out where they can trust, and where they should take more care. It is also about those who are looking to be trusted showing that they are worthy of this.
Questions on trust
Questions to explore here therefore include:
- How do we find a balance between thinking critically about information and a level of distrust that prevents participation and learning?
- How can we best build confidence among all our users in navigating an information environment that inevitably contains materials and behaviours that are not worthy of trust?
- How can we model trustworthiness as institutions, and how can we support this in others?
In terms of sessions exploring these issues, Ana Filipa Vrdoljak’s keynote on Day 3 will look at libraries and the information infrastructure they provide as a common public good. Damian Cardona, on the same day, will talk about the ingredients of information integrity, and how this connects with the trustworthiness of institutions and the confidence of users.
In addition, our session on AI & I on Day 1 will look at the role of libraries in helping communities develop confidence and set levels of trust in AI tools, while that on the Future of Reading on Day 2 will look at the skills needed for this confidence.
Look out for the next step, where we’ll be looking at skills! 🧠🛠️