Truth in an Age of Information

Many of the issues in the modern world are complex and multifaceted: migration, banking, not to mention climate change and Covid. Furthermore, social-media, which at first seemed to offer more reliable 'on the ground' citizen journalism, has instead become a seedbed of dis-information. Trust in media has plummeted, just when it has become essential. This is a problem, but also an opportunity for research in HCI that can make a real difference in the world. The majority of work in this area, from various disciplines including datascience, AI and HCI, is focused on combatting misinformation - fighting back against bad actors. However, we should also think about doing better - helping good actors to curate, disseminate and comprehend information better. There is exciting work in this area, but much still to do.