Measures to mitigate information pollution

 

Information is one of the most important and indisputable forces of our time. However, gaining this power is very difficult for many reasons. For example, you cannot receive and use information for satiation of certain needs and requirements or effectively access it to meet your needs. Those who can handle limited information face certain  problems such as  information overload and other related complications be them – psychological, physiological or others. As a result, they are  exposed to information pollution, given the role of individuals in this generation and dissemination of information, it may also be effective to understand the concept of information pollution. The general purpose of this study is to understand the individual's contribution  to  information pollution. The specific purpose of this article is to identify the main criteria that guide people who use social media effectively to believe in the accuracy of the  information they share, as well as the driving force behind disclosing the above information to others.

Digital world is on the verge of an important environmental crisis not only with information increase, but also information pollution. Especially, the fact that the new generation, which can use technology as of very early ages, face with pollution elements like “violent video games, cyber bullying, explicit/dangerous contents, viral rumors, technology addiction, privacy invasion” show that this crisis can reach to significant levels. Beside these elements of pollution, in case no consciousness is gained concerning information sharing, it is possible to say that below problems is waiting the information society if we consider the speed of technological development:

· Transformation of information access process into a drowning version because of intensified feeling of information overload

· Transition from weak decision-makers to weaker decision-makers

· The problem of dealing with expanding and strong information anxiety

· Decrease in taking the responsibility of shared information as generations change

· Inability to cope with the pollution in the amount of daily obtained information. Information society should already take certain measures to struggle with “digital environmental pollution”.

Some suggestions: -

· Creating awareness for new generation pollution elements and teaching coping methods.

 · Guiding the new generation not only about risky attitude and behavior types in their social lives, but also about the methods concerning digital world on which they socialize.

· Constituting a powerful ethical perception for digital world.

· Designing systems which contain proactive regulation approaches.

Therefore, in view of the above information, it is necessary to establish new course contents which are to be developed to support mere producer roles of the new generation and beside curriculum alterations, the consciousness of “information producing, sharing and accessing to the right information” should be given. This way, presenting an environment to other generations which will get benefited from more healthily can be contemplated upon.

Authored By -

Al Farhaan Hasan