Hi everyone! Welcome to my third blog post. For those who do not know, I am doing an inquiry project. My question being “Has instant access to information made society less informed?” In my last post, I mentioned three questions that I would start off with my research. Here is what I found for my first round of research.
Change in the access to information
Accessing information today is much more different compared to how information was access back then. Before the internet, people received their information from sources.
The local TV news stations were a good way to receive information. There were news stations that people watched from, and it was one of the more easier ways people received their information since it was usually shown daily. People were also able to access these news stations through radios as well, which helped provide information to people who may have not had TVs or who wanted to listen to the news in their cars. (1) People also got their information from books, newspapers, and magazines. These were primary sources of information and entertainment. (2)
When it came to research whether it was for school or for interest, libraries were the main source for information. People got their books from the public libraries near them. For finding certain books, you would have to consult a card catalog (physical and organized index of every book at the library) or ask a librarian. For researching, people had to make notes throughout their reading. (1) People would just also go to browse and borrow books instead of buying them. (2)
Now if we come back to today, we can see what has changed. We still have all these sources of information. Libraries, news channels, magazines, newspapers, etc. still exist, but are not the main way people receive their information. Now its all on the internet and social media. We can access news channels, books, news paper, magazines and so much more on the internet. People use the internet as their main source for information because its available anytime and everywhere. It is the fastest and easiest way for one to receive information since most people have either a smartphone, iPad, or laptop. The internet, social media and search engines in general have replaced traditional sources.
Not that long ago, about half of U.S. adults (53%) say they at least sometimes got their news from social media platforms. (3)
Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, etc
Research has also changed. If we look at schools, kids tend to lean more into using the internet to get their information instead of books. Its faster and easier for students. Students also have access to AI which can be even more easy. The internet has changed the way kids learn, do work, and even how teacher teach. (I will dive more into detail later in my research)
I will go through the pros and cons of instant access to information in the next post, as well as the amount of information and if its informative or confusing.
Thank you!
Sources
VC&G |» My Memories of What Life Was like before the Internet. www.vintagecomputing.com/index.php/archives/3132/my-memories-of-what-life-was-like-before-the-internet. (1)
Unplugged. “What Did People Do before the Internet?” Unplugged.rest, 28 May 2024, unplugged.rest/blog/life-before-smartphones. (2)
Liedke, Jacob, and Christopher St. Aubin. “Social Media and News Fact Sheet.” Pew Research Center, 17 Sept. 2024, www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/social-media-and-news-fact-sheet/. (3)