INFORMATION DISORDER
Online harm has cost the New Zealand economy an estimated NZ$3.3 billion in 2024.
Misinformation online, in its many forms, is a complex and accelerating problem. There is no single form of misinformation but an ecosystem of fact distortions, manufactured 'truths', misrepresentations, and outright fakes of ever-increasing sophistication. Wardle and Derakhshan (2017) called our time "the age of information disorder"; others have named it the "post-truth era". The impact of information disorder is devastating on many levels: the financial loss to economies is staggering, communities suffer isolation and othering, and individuals are left ashamed, bereft, and traumatised.
The social dimension of various forms of online harm is not yet well understood. More empirical research into the actual online experiences, information behaviours, and risk perceptions of communities is required to develop effective and durable responses to widespread misinformation.
