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.