Information deluge and its consequences

 

Today I missed the webinar on the farm related issues. This is not the first time that I missed it in recent times. I did not feel the pinch of it-no sad feeling, no self-depreciation, no resolve to make up through follow up or no not-to-forget next-time resolution. I was not like this earlier, say about a year ago. I would register for the webinar, note down the date and time in the calender app and a reminder in my phone will ensure that I participate in the webinar. Fortunately, most of the webinars are online and free. Many of them are addressed by the experts. As the science and society expand its boundaries and merge together more often, topics are diversified. And this helps to reach as many as possible. Many of them are meant to educate general public too. And some are meant for specific target groups, like farmers, social workers, academics, etc. Yet, we let them go of them.

So, what is that happened to me and many-like me who may have registered for an interesting webinar and not participated in it in last few months? As most of us are home-bound due to covid pandemic, most have been active on internet, gathering information a lot more and getting bombarded with it too often. It is flood of information that we have now.

With information deluge, we have undergone behavioural changes. The other day, I observed that colleagues in the Facebook, WhatsApp and other social media groups rush to like, no matter what that post is about. So for the post related to death, obituary, or related functions; except for few who will narrate personal association, and some commenting like Rest in Peace, Om Shanti, Rest in Heaven, Condolences to the bereaved family; here too, many show their presence of having read the post with likes. I am sure that those who mark it like, do not really like the news of someone’s death. Most common posts are those of selfies, or announcements related to personal achievements. Fortunately, along with likes, some put up lovely emojis, use monosyllables like great, lovely, awesome, fine, fantastic, fabulous, congratulations etc. etc. I doubt most who rush to like the posts have really read them, probably due to lack of time to read them or lack of interest in the subject of post. Serious readings like of those of research papers or article of social, economic or political natures are the last stuff that few find interesting. Similar to write-up posts, is also a case of audio-video posts. Videos have become a great source of entertainment and are played oblivious of presence of others. Occasionally, you might notice that the video players are ignoring others advertently. Even, business group apps like Linked in are becoming a sort of social apps, deviating from the news on business and industry.

Many young people are so fond of watching or talking on phone every now and then, that they remain glued to it all the time (aptly depicted in photo reproduced; Credit: Age of cell phone addicts @kiranshaw 17.09.2021) . I see addiction as a lot of us flips between social media platforms to know what is new and how to stay connected. It is a feeling of having achieved something of sort or of freedom on my own terms! Indifferent or uncivilized behaviour is no longer a taboo even in the social gatherings.

Even, TV shows keep blaring lot of information. Breaking news, news and views, debates, dangal (duets), mukabala (contests) etc. are the staple diets dished out to the audience. Most of them are repetitive. Even news on new cases of covid infection on internet and TVs are no longer eliciting same curiosity as in the past. Probably reading of newspapers has become cursory too, restricted to the individual’s choice.

Further, information deluge has also led to mis-information as everyone has something more to say than to read or listen to. Race is on for making information viral, even if it is far from true. Fake news, hate news, incomplete news, news with hidden agenda are becoming the part and parcel of mis-information. Many will forward such posts that creates social disharmony, are defamatory in nature, or could have security at stake. The Governmental warnings under the Information Technology Act are ignored or considered in-sequential. A relative of mine realized this mistake when he got a legal notice after he forwarded a post of defamatory nature specific to a tobacco firm.  There are many more of such actions.

So, is it the information fatigue that we are experiencing over the last many months, since Covid pandemic has kept most home-bound and information is easily available and accessible?

Information fatigue may be taking toll of the readers silently. Has this affected anyone mentally? I am not sure. Some years ago, that is in 2016, I went to see the eye specialist as I felt my eyes are strained, reflexes dull and dryness of sort feeling in the eyes. Was it a cataract or some other disease that affected me at my old age? And lo, the doctor prescription was to add drops of lubricating sterile solution. He also advised me to use laptop or phone discreetly, ensure the correct posture of sitting and working, and doing eye exercises like viewing far and near at regular interval, away from the constant gaze of these devices. I felt the relief that I did not have cataract or eye disease. But this constant companionship of phone and laptop had shown its adverse impact.

And this addiction has taken toll in the form of accidents and even deaths, as drivers reportedly lost the track of driving safely on road. As fake news became viral, the societal fabrics took the hit.

Information as is being posted on social media platforms is traded like a commodity of short shelf life. Occasionally, we might come out of this addiction. Only few work hard to dig out new from the information galore and get educated socially and scientifically. It is only then that we have arrived at the real purpose of information and communication technology era ushering in.