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 7: Disinformation and climate culture, with Brandon Schauer
SYNOPSIS
Brandon Schauer from Rare, a conservation nonprofit, talks to Rachel and Dan about ways to modify behavior to help save the planet. Climate change and its solutions are often too big for an individual person to connect with, so Brandon has developed strategies to meet people where they are. These strategies short-circuit climate misinformation altogether.
STORIES
Banana propaganda
- Annalee Newitz’s book Stories Are Weapons
- The 1954 Guatemalan Coup (Wikipedia)
NPS, the continuing saga
- National Park signage encourages the public to help erase negative stories at its sites
- National Parks Are Told to Delete Content That ‘Disparages Americans’
- This Is What Censorship Looks Like in a National Park: The First Park Sign That Came Down
- Park Service Is Ordered to Take Down Some Materials on Slavery and Tribes
- Trump moves to scrub national parks sites of signs that cast America in a 'negative light'
INTERVIEW
- Entities responsible for greenhouse gas emissions: By Country; 57 companies responsible for 80% of emissions
- Biden cites Will & Grace in endorsement of same-sex marriage
- Primetime in a warming world
- Hyperobjects is a term coined by British philosopher Timothy Morton in their book The Ecological Thought
LENSES
Social Awareness
Everyone can be part of a solution to large problems, and the ecosystem can help users understand how they may be connected to others.
- How does your system help people understand they are not alone?
- How does your system prioritize meaningful connection over gamified social metrics?
Hyperobjects
Based on the concept from Timothy Morton, hyperobjects are concepts that are so big they are difficult for people to understand them fully. Information ecosystems may be connected to or related to hyperobjects, introducing specific challenges.
- How does the structure of your system help users focus on the most relevant part of a large problem space?
- How does the structure of
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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
