In the past twenty years, the internet has evolved as the predominant source of information. Social media, websites, message apps or search engines, such as Google, have been crucial elements in materializing the supremacy of virtual information channels. The newspaper that we used to buy at the newsstand became scarce and obsolete. There are almost as many phones as there are people in the world! So it may seem that information accessibility should be higher, but that is not the case.
The information that reaches each one of us is different. It varies according to our curiosity, needs, and what we search online. Unless one is adventurous enough to search for new sources and perspectives, remaining in an information bubble online is a truthful risk.
This "bubble" is related to the concept of post-truth. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, post-truth is when “people are more likely to accept an argument based on their emotions and beliefs, rather than one based on facts”. Therefore, even though the availability of information has increased in the past years with the development of communication technologies, it might be the case that people choose to access it limitedly. That is, we may be - unknowingly - limiting our access to information, relying on our beliefs as the borders of what we search. As such, we ignore all that goes against our opinions.
Furthermore, in social media, the algorithms work as powerful filters of information that pleases you. The feed gradually becomes more attractive and addictive. It is custom-built for you throughout time, an essential mechanism for the success of social media apps and websites.
There is no wrong in keeping your beliefs. It is, in fact, an individual right to have freedom of thought and speech. Yet, how can one form a genuine opinion or belief without accessing all options and information available? In order to have a conclusion or an argument on a matter, one must access the information available.
Beyond the issue of building tunnel visions, the information gear online and the symptom of post‑truth also open doors for spreading fake news. We are prone to believing in the facts that substantiate their opinions, even though they lack credibility. Information is, in fact, able to reach more people in the present day. However, there are a few challenges to guarantee the safety and legitimacy of information transmission online.
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