When More Information is Not Enough

Abstract

With the developments in information and communications technologies and social media, more information is available for people, more platforms enable them to access and share information, and consequently transforming the public sphere. These developments should have resulted in better information use and decision making especially during the 2022 and 2025 Philippine national elections where the campaign events were mostly conducted online. However, misinformation, disinformation, echo chambers, algorithmic sorting and targeting led to more confusion, outweighing the benefits of social media and ICT developments. Librarians and information professionals are positioned to raise awareness about these concerns and help individuals navigate the complexities of information environments.  Aside from providing access to information, understanding the information practices of individuals and communities will give them the tools to better help the people to survive an avalanche of information.