The word ‘information’ changes what it means based on the user and the context. Before reading, I would have said, “information is the communication of data” which means I ascribe more to the classical, than the semantic definition. However, I feel that the semantic definition of information as a message is more relevant for our everyday interactions with information.
I have noticed a shift in the last 10 years of people becoming far more critical as consumers when it comes to the products they purchase and use, considering origin, materials, environmental cost and so on. Suppliers are beginning to adapt to meet the needs of consumers who are more aware, lest they lose market share.
Extending this concept to information with the understanding that it is also a commodity (which I had not really thought about before), are we able to create enough critical consumers to shape the way it is and type of information delivered? Are we able to go as far as to make the disseminator of certain types of information (such as fake news) irrelevant? I doubt they are going to change their product (become accurate news sources) to meet a change in demand.
Furthermore, if we want critical consumers of information and we consider all information as a message that means that we must also consider:
If we want a society of critical consumers, are we also not also responsible of being critical of the information that we choose to share or create? The responsibility to create these critical consumers surely falls at the feet of educators.
Lastly, can we even be a consumer of information? If it is inconsumable am I merely a user?