Zimmerman2025NMIHP

Title

Navigating the Modern Infodemic: Historical Perspectives and Information Science Frameworks as Guideposts
View PDF | Save PDF

Authors

Tara Zimmerman

Affiliations

School of Library and Information Studies, Texas Women's University, Denton TX.

Abstract

The contemporary information ecosystem is characterized by a high volume of chaotic, overwhelming, and often false information. This environment, where 'bad actors' exploit low-verification channels like social media, has left the general populace ill-equipped to distinguish verifiable information from misinformation. This article argues that while the scale and velocity of this 'infodemic' are new, the phenomenon of misinformation itself is not. To chart a path forward, this paper synthesizes two critical bodies of knowledge: historical precedents and information science. It first contextualizes the current crisis by examining key historical case studies of misinformation. Second, it presents a theoretical framework grounded in information behavior, reviewing key concepts such as information poverty, information overload, information disorder, and social noise. This synthesis reveals a public that is cognitively overwhelmed, systematically marginalized, and navigating social cues that often supersede truth. The paper concludes that a robust, widespread, and sustained focus on media literacy, conceptualized as a set of critical-thinking habits, is the most viable intervention for building a more resilient citizenry.

KeyPhrases

Information science, information behavior, information disorder, misinformation, disinformation, social noise, media literacy.

Dates

Created 2025-07-31, presented 2025-10-09, updated 2025-11-13, published 2025-11-18.

Citation

Brainiacs Journal 2025 Volume 6 Issue 3 Edoc GFD048202
DOI: 10.48085/GFD048202
NPDS: LINKS/Brainiacs/Zimmerman2025NMIHP