Expert knowledge for non‐experts: Inherent and contextual risks of misinformation
Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society
ISSN: 1477-996X
Article publication date: 31 August 2005
Abstract
One of the most significant aspects of Internet, in comparison with other sources of information, such as libraries, books, journals, television, radio etcetera, is that it makes expert knowledge much more accessible to non‐experts than the other traditional sources. This phenomenon has often been applauded for its democratizing effects. Unfortunately, there is also a disadvantage. Expert information that was originally intended for a specific group of people ‐ and not in any way processed or adapted to make it fit for a broader audience ‐ can easily be misunderstood and misinterpreted by non‐experts and, when used as a basis for decisions, lead to unhappy consequences. Can these risks be diminished without limiting the informational freedoms of the information providers and without imposing paternalistic measures regarding the receivers of the information?
Keywords
Citation
Vedder, A. (2005), "Expert knowledge for non‐experts: Inherent and contextual risks of misinformation", Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics in Society, Vol. 3 No. 3, pp. 113-119. https://doi.org/10.1108/14779960580000265
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2005, Emerald Group Publishing Limited