On the Difference or Equality of Information, Misinformation, and Disinformation: A Critical Research Perspective

More and better information is often seen as a prerequisite for better management practices. It is the task of information systems to collect or create such information. These simple premises are problematic, however. One of the reasons for this is that the very concept of information is not clear. This paper discusses the notion of information as well as the apparently opposing notions of misinformation and disinformation from a critical research perspective. Starting with a discussion of the question of truth, the paper argues that there is no agreement on what truth is and, therefore, what information is. The critical approach provides a different way of understanding these issues. Critical research aims to change the status quo and lead to emancipation. Drawing on two of the most prominent theoreticians of critical research, Jurgen Habermas and Michel Foucault, the paper explores what truth and information can mean for critical research. The contribution of the paper is to extend the debate on information and truth beyond its typical confines and show to the researcher that these issues are not value-neutral; every commitment to a research approach is a value choice that the researcher makes and needs to reflect on.

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