MISINFORMATION: THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL CONTRIBUTIONS FROM INFORMATION MANAGEMENT AND KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT TO HELP FIGHT ONLINE MISINFORMATION

Abstract

Goal: This paper will focus on the theoretical and practical contributions from both information management and knowledge management to help identify, and ideally prevent, the creation and dissemination of online misinformation. Results: Misinformation is not a new phenomenon as propaganda and false marketing claims have been around for decades if not centuries. What is new today is that online misinformation can reach so many more people around the world almost instantaneously, primarily due to the use of social media. Whereas in the past only powerful people or major corporations could generate false claims in a convincing manner, today social media lets anyone create and disseminate fake content. The risks are great as misinformation can have an impact on financial and health decisions. There has been a proliferation of fake news around the current pandemic for example, with some seeking to profit by selling fake Covid-19 cures while others add fuel to anti-vaccine movements. At the same time, the people who can influence us, has shrunk to increasingly small “filter bubbles” as we mostly interact with people who hold similar views to our own (Dalkir & Katz, 2020). Originality½Value: Misinformation is a societal problem that requires people to become more information literate, companies (in particular, social media companies) to adopt more effective information policies, and countries to adopt legislation that can address intentional creation and spreading of misinformation without trampling on citizens’ rights to free speech.