I’m an academic librarian so information is the core of my field. When I finished library school in 2009, social media was just starting to ramp up, mainly with Facebook and Twitter. I feel like the world of information has been on warp drive since then with different platforms popping up and either fizzing out or taking hold. Now you have the bombardment of ads, fake news, and all kinds of other things in the mix.
I love technology and took advantage of learning the ins and outs of computers from the time they became household items in the early ‘90s. As they have evolved, I’ve been able to adapt them to help me with tasks. Apple devices have been revolutionary for users with vision and hearing impairments because they have incorporated so many assistive technology functions into their devices.
At this point though, I think the bombardment of information combined with the ease of information access has tipped the scale towards overload for society in general, and even more so for people with sensory disabilities.
My vision is limited, so I have to be very intentional when I do tasks. The onslaught of fake news, ads, and pop ups is more apparent because I don’t have the ability to just look at something and get rid of it. I have to hunt for the discrete close button that’s intentionally not easy to find. My settings must be just right so I can read the screen. T
These circumstances have created a need to find the right balance when it comes to technology. It is helpful for many reasons, but it is also a brain drain. How can we reshape the way we interact with information without letting it overwhelm us?
Comments