Ethics in the production and sharing of information

tensions from a theoretical perspective

Abstract

The development of Digital Technologies of Information and Communication allowed a new perspective to society. The forms of production, sharing and use of information were changed and in this new scenario the user figures as the protagonist and mediates the information transmitted. More than that, it can influence the formation of knowledge of other users. Despite countless benefits arising from digital technologies, this new scenario expands the possibilities of informational disorders. In the virtual environment, the available contents are created and circulated without monitoring, making misinformation possible. In this sense, the article reflects on the ethics of information related to the phenomenon of fake news and post-truth culture. With the work, it is intended to debate about this informational issue that has emerged in recent years from the perspective of the Information Science field and to identify initiatives that seek to combat misinformation. The research is classified as bibliographical for bringing concepts from the area and qualitative for presenting a critical analysis of the issue in question. Thus, it is concluded that the web is configured as the largest publishing system in the world and that its open architecture makes it possible to share false news. Even so, it is understood that the dissemination of this incorrect information is linked to factors related to the post-truth: personal beliefs, psychological comfort and/or personal gain. In this scenario, users' personal ethics gains more and more importance in society.