Information Poverty or Overload?

Abstract

Although the issue of the divide separating the information rich from the information poor tends to be thought of in terms of the distinction between developed and developing countries, there exists a comparable dichotomy within developed countries separating those with easy access to an abundance of information and those with little or no access. However, the enormous efforts being made to find solutions to this problem in the UK, at various levels of local and national government and particularly in the field of citizenship information, is tending to make available more information than citizens can easily assimilate. The serious nature of this information overload problem has led to the coining of the term ”information fatigue syndrome” (IFS), said to cause paralysis of the analytical capacity, constant searches for more information, increased anxiety and sleeplessness and self-doubt in decision making. It is concluded that those suffering from information overload or IFS are at risk of suffering the same fate as the information poor. The information poor are unable to take action because they do not have necessary information that would enable them to take control. The information rich are similarly paralyzed because of their inability to create order from all the information washing over them. It may be necessary to think in terms of the information rich, the information poor and information burdened.

Information overload: The differences that age makes

“…This is consistent with Goulding's (2001) assertion that information literacy is often seen as the cure. The importance of training was discussed in the interviews; improved skills will empower people in their information use.…”

Re‐situating information poverty: Information marginalization and parents of individuals with disabilities

“…Within this framework, “managerial language” (Wiegand, ) is used to frame the “information poor” as having low information processing skills, insufficient experience with bureaucratic systems, insufficient resources (Childers & Post, ; Thompson, ), and “poorly developed information infrastructure[s]” (Britz, , p. 192). Rather than focusing on the inflexibility of bureaucratic and information systems that purport to serve these individuals and communities, and questioning the information processes and values inherent in existing information systems, researchers have focused on deficits and problem behaviors (e.g., Goulding, ; Sligo & Jameson, ). This narrow focus on individual behaviors, rather than contextual preconditions for those behaviors also frees information science researchers from the obligation to understand how marginalization works.…”

The Intersection of Public Policy and Public Access: Digital Divides, Digital Literacy, Digital Inclusion, and Public Libraries

“…Digital literacy generally is used to refer to an individual's ability to locate, evaluate, and use digital information, encompassing both technologies (e.g., computers) and services (e.g., e-mail). It can also include their ability to deal with and make sense of the amount of information they receive (Goulding 2001). The kinds of technologies and level of access available have a significant impact on digital literacy (Meneses and Momino 2010).…”