Unchecked: The architecture of disinformation
Misinformation and disinformation thrive in today’s technology landscape, and arguably present the greatest threat to modern society. Information architecture – the practice of designing and managing digital spaces – has an opportunity to intervene. This podcast looks at disinformation from an information architecture perspective, and considers ways to expand the practice of IA to address this new reality.
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What is Information Architecture?
Information architecture is the practice of designing virtual structures – the shape and form of online spaces and digital products. When you click on a navigation menu or follow the steps in a process, you're experiencing the information architecture of a web site or digital product.
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What is disinformation?
Understanding disinformation is the purpose of this podcast. We are trying to figure out exactly what it is and what it means. If information architecture is the practice of designing virtual spaces, then disinformation is something that can occupy that space to disrupt the user's experience. Alternatively, it is a way of manipulating the space (like flooding it with irrelevant facts) to achieve an end unrelated to the space's original intention.
Unchecked: The architecture of disinformation
Episode 2: Disinformation and civic tech, with Cyd Harrell
SYNOPSIS
Dan and Rachel talk with Cyd Harrell about the challenges of providing information to citizens that is accurate and accessible, even when it needs to be official and formal. Rachel discusses the Accuracy as a lens for evaluating information ecosystems. Dan explains the lens Accountability.
EPISODE CONTENTS
Stories of Disinformation
Dan describes misinformation from the Bush administration that provided the impetus for the US invasion of Iraq
- The Iraq Invasion 20 Years Later (Mother Jones)
- Lie by Lie: A Timeline of How We Got Into Iraq (Mother Jones)
- The Other "Big Lie" and Our Democratic Fragility (Harvard Kennedy School)
Rachel describes how the US National Park Rangers handle messaging guidelines from the Trump administration
Interview with Cyd Harrell
- Cyd's book, A Civic Technologist's Practice Guide
Lenses
Accuracy
It turns out accuracy is a spectrum, and sometimes information is "accurate enough" for the purposes of the people using it. At the same time, some domains require information that is precise, even when that isn't required by all users.
- How does the system define and uphold an acceptable threshold for accuracy?
- How does the system ensure information is precise?
Accountable
When information is held accountable, it is subjected to outside critique and validation. Perfectly closed systems prevent information from being scrutinized. But also, systems that appear open can be compromised.
- How does the system encourage sources to be accountable for their contributions?
- How does the system enable outside criticism and give it equal weight to the original contributions?
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Personnel
- Dan Brown, Host
- Rachel Price, Host
- Emily Duncan, Editor
Music
- Turtle Up Fool, by Elliot
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Unchecked is a production of Curious Squid
Curious Squid is a digital design consulting firm specializing in information architecture, user experience, and product design
