The Negative Consequences of Digital Information Revolution

Ever since cellular phones and computers were developed, sending and receiving information has never been easier. Imagine, with just a push of a mouse button or even just a touch on our phone’s screens, the messages we want to relay to a person miles and miles away from us can reach them in no less than 5 seconds, and we get a reply in the same time period! However, like any great invention, there are those who exploit it. Since the dawn of accessible information, individuals have emerged who purposefully alter information posted online just for kicks and laughs. Not only do they alter information and spread fake news, they go a step further and even hack into our e-mail accounts or our social media.

The Adverse Effects of the Digital Information Revolution

Digital information isn’t always trustworthy. It is actually quite easy to alter definitions or site entries. Take Wikipedia for example; it allows various people to edit an article either for good or bad. What’s pressing is that the developers do not always know that the information embedded in their website is altered so much that it’s hard to tell if it is still legit or not, unless someone reports it to them. With the mention of altered information, the government has come up with a few new laws and a new subject taken up in Senior High School called Media and Information Literacy (MIL). This helps students find out whether or not the information they find is changed or legitimate. Of course, it isn’t easy at first glance, but this serves as a guiding principle so as to always look for supporting evidence before deeming information “legit”.

The digitalization of information has undeniably made research and assignments quite easier to accomplish nowadays. My father told me that if they wanted to finish a thesis's Review of Related Literature, they would have to visit every public and academic library in the vicinity of Manila and even go to the National Library to find articles they could cite in their research. Now, with just a few clicks of the keyboard and the mouse, we can access numerous articles both local and foreign. It is still highly risky though since, as mentioned earlier, everything is easily edited online, and the hackers do not leave a trace behind. The lesson to be taken from this is to fact-check the information given to us and see whether or not other sites say the same thing. It is easy to fool someone, but it is not easy to fool an educated one (Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2014).

The Power and Responsibility of Technology

Yes, technology is great and powerful, but if put in the hands of one incompetent and abusive user, it will become the worst possible weapon. With the sheer number of computers and cell phones today, who knows what will happen if the power to control technology falls into the wrong hands? Keep in mind also that whatever we post on our social networking sites (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) is there forever. We may delete it from our profiles, but someone somewhere somehow has a screenshot of it, and it can only take one little miscalculated mistake to spread it across the world. Think before you click (Solove, 2007).

Conclusion

In conclusion, while the digital revolution has brought about significant advancements in communication and access to information, it also poses challenges that require careful navigation. Ensuring the authenticity of online information and using technology responsibly are crucial in this digital age. As users, we must remain vigilant and educated to avoid falling victim to the negative consequences of this powerful tool.

References:

• Kovach, B., & Rosenstiel, T. (2014). The Elements of Journalism: What Newspeople Should Know and the Public Should Expect. Three Rivers Press.
• Solove, D. J. (2007). The Future of Reputation: Gossip, Rumor, and Privacy on the Internet. Yale University Press.