WHAT WE NEED TO WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW:KNOW:

AND WHY AND WHY WE NEED TO KNOW ITWE NEED TO KNOW IT

Paul SturgesPaul SturgesDept of Information ScienceDept of Information Science

Loughborough UniversityLoughborough University

A question?A question?

The title of this presentation can be The title of this presentation can be re-phrased as a questionre-phrased as a question

What do we need to know and why What do we need to know and why do we need to know it?do we need to know it?

The answer is simple:The answer is simple:• Everything we want to know, Everything we want to know, • For our autonomy as individualsFor our autonomy as individuals

The answer may be simple, but in The answer may be simple, but in practice it leads to problemspractice it leads to problems

The AnswerThe Answer

First we will look at some benefits of First we will look at some benefits of knowingknowing• Self-fulfilment for the individualSelf-fulfilment for the individual• Better educationBetter education• More effective democracyMore effective democracy• Better business environment Better business environment • Reduction of corruptionReduction of corruption

And then we will examine some And then we will examine some objections to knowing, which lead to objections to knowing, which lead to self-censorship.self-censorship.

Self fulfilment and educationSelf fulfilment and education

Some societies restrict and distort Some societies restrict and distort access to information throughaccess to information through• ReligionReligion• Social conventionsSocial conventions• Systems of educationSystems of education

This ultimately frustrates enquiring This ultimately frustrates enquiring minds, limits creativity and minds, limits creativity and condemns society to backwardness.condemns society to backwardness.

DemocracyDemocracy

Democracy depends on intelligent Democracy depends on intelligent use of the right to vote. This requiresuse of the right to vote. This requires• Well-informed political organisations and Well-informed political organisations and

activistsactivists• Voters who understand political issuesVoters who understand political issues• Media which inform as well as persuadeMedia which inform as well as persuade

Democracy can be frustrated byDemocracy can be frustrated by• Suppression and censorship of ideasSuppression and censorship of ideas• Trivialisation of news and comment.Trivialisation of news and comment.

BusinessBusiness

Successful economic activity depends on Successful economic activity depends on access toaccess to• New ideas on products and servicesNew ideas on products and services• Market information on costs, prices and Market information on costs, prices and

demanddemand• Knowledge of investment and credit Knowledge of investment and credit

opportunitiesopportunities Competition encourages innovation and Competition encourages innovation and

brings down prices, and it depends on brings down prices, and it depends on information.information.

Combating CorruptionCombating Corruption

Corruption is the dishonest seeking of Corruption is the dishonest seeking of private advantage from public activityprivate advantage from public activity

It can involve obtaining money and It can involve obtaining money and favours, or promoting the advantage of favours, or promoting the advantage of family and friendsfamily and friends

Corruption depends on secrecy so as toCorruption depends on secrecy so as to• Avoid legal penaltiesAvoid legal penalties• Cheat uninformed victimsCheat uninformed victims

All methods of combating corruption All methods of combating corruption basically rely on transparency and access basically rely on transparency and access to information.to information.

The ProblemsThe Problems

Some people don’t want us to know Some people don’t want us to know (censors)(censors)

Types of censorsTypes of censors• StateState• ReligionReligion• Media ownersMedia owners• Information professionals, including Information professionals, including

librarians?librarians? Our own self-censorshipOur own self-censorship

Official censorship (State and Official censorship (State and Religion)Religion)

Prior restraints: systems of Prior restraints: systems of censorship before publicationcensorship before publication

• The classic response of states that fear The classic response of states that fear comment and the spread of comment and the spread of informationinformation

Consequent legal action: challenges Consequent legal action: challenges to published materialto published material

• This can be another means of This can be another means of repression, orrepression, or

• A genuine means to test whether A genuine means to test whether information and ideas are harmful to information and ideas are harmful to society or individualssociety or individuals

Media OwnershipMedia Ownership

Control of access to information through Control of access to information through corporate policycorporate policy• Personal identification of power and ownership Personal identification of power and ownership

(Berlusconi, Italy)(Berlusconi, Italy)• Monopoly and Oligopoly in ownership Monopoly and Oligopoly in ownership

(Murdoch, UK and USA)(Murdoch, UK and USA) The state has a responsibility to create an The state has a responsibility to create an

open and competitive media environmentopen and competitive media environment It often prefers media owned and It often prefers media owned and

controlled by its supporters.controlled by its supporters.

Information ProfessionalsInformation Professionals

Internet access is mediated by search Internet access is mediated by search engines that rank information by engines that rank information by commercial (and other?) criteriacommercial (and other?) criteria

There is a genuine risk that ‘neutral’ There is a genuine risk that ‘neutral’ sources can actually be biasedsources can actually be biased

Some people say librarians are censors, Some people say librarians are censors, because they ‘select’ content and ‘advise’because they ‘select’ content and ‘advise’

This could be ‘soft censorship’: based on a This could be ‘soft censorship’: based on a kind of self-censorship.kind of self-censorship.

Information literacy is the answer. Information literacy is the answer.

Our own self-censorshipOur own self-censorship

Self-censorship may be because of Self-censorship may be because of fear (of the state, courts, police, fear (of the state, courts, police, criminal enforcers, etc)criminal enforcers, etc)

It may be to avoid pressures fromIt may be to avoid pressures from• Society generallySociety generally• Religious groupsReligious groups• Workplace and professional authorityWorkplace and professional authority

The term ‘constraints of conformity’ The term ‘constraints of conformity’ describes much of this.describes much of this.

Constraints of conformityConstraints of conformity

The fear of disappointing social The fear of disappointing social expectations by shocking, offending expectations by shocking, offending or disturbing. or disturbing.

Examples of conformity:Examples of conformity:• Family values and ways of behavingFamily values and ways of behaving• Everyday good manners and tact,Everyday good manners and tact,• The desire not to offend sensitive The desire not to offend sensitive

groupsgroups All of these tend to be deeply All of these tend to be deeply

internalised.internalised.

The ways we internalise self The ways we internalise self censorshipcensorship

We believe we can identify ‘good We believe we can identify ‘good reasons’ for self censorship. reasons’ for self censorship. Examples:Examples:• Not damaging national securityNot damaging national security• Protecting social stabilityProtecting social stability• Preserving the national culturePreserving the national culture• Tolerance towards others with different Tolerance towards others with different

beliefsbeliefs Most of these have some validity, but Most of these have some validity, but

how much?how much?

National securityNational security

This plays on patriotism, but it encourages This plays on patriotism, but it encourages xenophobia.xenophobia.

One country is sometimes threatened by One country is sometimes threatened by another, butanother, but• How much secrecy is needed to protect How much secrecy is needed to protect

national security?national security?• How effective is secrecy as a protection?How effective is secrecy as a protection?

National security is the favourite excuse of National security is the favourite excuse of repressive regimes for suppressing repressive regimes for suppressing freedom of expression.freedom of expression.

Social stabilitySocial stability

This is based on the suggestion that This is based on the suggestion that not discussing social problems will not discussing social problems will help make them improve.help make them improve.

For example:For example:• It protects the flag and national It protects the flag and national

symbols;symbols;• Prohibits insults to national leaders;Prohibits insults to national leaders;• Makes either denial or discussion of Makes either denial or discussion of

events like genocides illegal.events like genocides illegal. Is it just a way to avoid difficult Is it just a way to avoid difficult

issues?issues?

The national cultureThe national culture

Most of us have a certain love of our Most of us have a certain love of our national culture (whatever that is)national culture (whatever that is)

We also tend to believe that it is We also tend to believe that it is ‘threatened’ by outside influences‘threatened’ by outside influences

But can we ‘protect’ it? But can we ‘protect’ it? Examples of the protection of culture Examples of the protection of culture

tend to be ridiculous.tend to be ridiculous. Doesn’t culture change naturally, Doesn’t culture change naturally,

whatever we try to do about it?whatever we try to do about it?

Tolerance of othersTolerance of others Tolerance of others is admirable, Tolerance of others is admirable,

especially in multicultural societies, especially in multicultural societies, butbut• Does this mean tolerating beliefs and Does this mean tolerating beliefs and

practices we believe to be wrong?practices we believe to be wrong?• Should we limit freedom of expression Should we limit freedom of expression

because some groups find it disturbing because some groups find it disturbing and offensive?and offensive?

• Isn’t it disrespectful to regard others as Isn’t it disrespectful to regard others as incapable of accepting reasoned incapable of accepting reasoned criticism?criticism?

Conclusion (for Librarians)Conclusion (for Librarians)

Selection is not censorship, but if Selection is not censorship, but if librarians do self-censor it can be as bad librarians do self-censor it can be as bad as if they were censors.as if they were censors.

Librarians need to be aware of their own Librarians need to be aware of their own natural tendency towards ‘soft censorship’. natural tendency towards ‘soft censorship’.

This means they must be particularly This means they must be particularly careful of accepting the ‘reasons’ to self careful of accepting the ‘reasons’ to self censor.censor.

Librarians have a special responsibility not Librarians have a special responsibility not to do the censors’ work for them.to do the censors’ work for them.