The dark side of information: can digital literacy shine a light ? David Bawden City University London David Bawden City University London

The dark side of information Paradoxes, pathologies and general bad behaviour Isn’t information always a good thing ? Paradoxes, pathologies and general bad behaviour Isn’t information always a good thing ?

Too much information?  Information overload  Reference overload  Cognitive overload  Continuous partial attention  Technostress  Information overload  Reference overload  Cognitive overload  Continuous partial attention  Technostress

It’s making me ill  Information anxiety  Library anxiety  Infobesity  Information avoidance  Bad satisficing  Information anxiety  Library anxiety  Infobesity  Information avoidance  Bad satisficing

Paradox of choice  How much jam is enough ?  I’ll maximise if I want to !  How much jam is enough ?  I’ll maximise if I want to !

Web 2 and the end of the world  Cult of the amateur  Loss of identity  Shallow novelty  Impermanence  Cult of the amateur  Loss of identity  Shallow novelty  Impermanence

Are these problems real ? Not many thorough surveys A lot of anecdote and opinion All very contextual Does it matter anyway ? Not many thorough surveys A lot of anecdote and opinion All very contextual Does it matter anyway ?

If these are real problems..  Is digital literacy part of the solution ?

Digital literacy  Idea introduced by Paul Gilster in 1997  Now taken up by European Commission  Broader concept than ‘information literacy’  Idea introduced by Paul Gilster in 1997  Now taken up by European Commission  Broader concept than ‘information literacy’

Four components of digital literacy  basics  background knowledge  central competencies  attitudes and perspectives  basics  background knowledge  central competencies  attitudes and perspectives

Digital literacy: basics  Literacy  Computer / ICT literacy  Literacy  Computer / ICT literacy

Digital literacy: background knowledge  the world of information  nature of information resources  the world of information  nature of information resources

Digital literacy: central competences  reading and understanding digital and non- digital formats  creating and communicating information  evaluating information  knowledge assembly  information literacy  media literacy  reading and understanding digital and non- digital formats  creating and communicating information  evaluating information  knowledge assembly  information literacy  media literacy

Digital literacy: attitudes and perspectives  independent learning  moral / social literacy  independent learning  moral / social literacy

Proposition…  a digitally literate person would avoid the dark side  and would cope well with a changing information environment  a digitally literate person would avoid the dark side  and would cope well with a changing information environment

Studies needed  Are the ‘dark side’ problems real ?  If so, in what contexts are they most damaging ?  Can increasing digital literacy help ?  What role do library / information specialists have in promoting digital literacy, and in keeping their users out of the dark ?  Are the ‘dark side’ problems real ?  If so, in what contexts are they most damaging ?  Can increasing digital literacy help ?  What role do library / information specialists have in promoting digital literacy, and in keeping their users out of the dark ?