According to a LinkedIn article, in 2020 humans produced 2.5 quintillion bytes of digital data every single day (Shah, 2020). Access to that amount of data means that current generations are now more informed than any previous ones. Now, if we want to learn more about a topic, see what's happening on the other side of the planet, or try to reconnect to a long lost friend it's a matter of how effectively we can look something up online.
Navigating through digital space, however, can be stressful. Especially when trying to make informed decisions and outside factors are impacting our ability to do so (discussed more in this Research Guide). The overwhelming amount of choices we have, when it comes to selecting data, can lead to what's called Information Overload.
Simply defined, Information Overload is when the amount of information available exceeds a person's ability to comprehend, and process, it all (Palfrey & Gasser, 2008). Users can feel angry, frustrated, and stressed when suffering from Overload, and ultimately lead to a lack of motivation. Users tend to shut down, or actively disengage with the information being presented to them. Overload can lead to fatigue, and in turn, leads to assumptions and misinformation. So, where do we start when searching for something online? How do we know which sources to trust? Am I spreading misinformation? These questions can lead to Overload, but are necessary to consider when interacting in digital spaces. Developing strong digital metacognitive skills through the application of Information Literacy can alleviate anxieties around digital content and searching.
Applying the ACRL Framework for Information Literacy to different aspects of digital culture can teach users how to critically engage with, and navigate through, the information they are engaging with. Users will better understand the role social media has in our society, how it can be harmful when used improperly, and how applying the framework can lead to users making more well-informed and impactful decisions.
The ACRL Framework for Information Literacy was created to demonstrate a set of learning outcomes that users would display once they developed the proper analytical, critical, and strategic skills needed to navigate through today's information landscape (ALA,2016). Under the six frames, topics like critical literacy, research skills, and information ethics are addressed. The frames outline conceptual knowledge practices and dispositions rather than finite outcomes, because information literacy is a skillset that's meant to be implemented through all information interactions.
Typically, the framework is applied to higher education and scholarly research. However, according to a poll from Pew Research Center, most U.S. adults responded that they receive their news from social media "often" or "sometimes" (2021, Sep. 20). What this shows is that people are turning to online sources of information to inform their decisions, opinions, and beliefs. However, with the overwhelming amount of information made available on the internet, many users lack the proper information literacy skills to discern credible sources, locate appropriate information, or even understand the role social media and digital culture plays in their lives.
When we apply the framework to aspects of digital culture, we can better understand our role as both consumers and creators of information online. The examples listed out on the Research Guide are meant to demonstrate how information is created, spread, and interpreted in a digital space, and how that impacts our daily lives. Understanding this impact, and our role as both creator and consumer online, is critical for becoming a more engaged digital citizen and avoiding risky decisions.
Networks Without a Cause by 
