The evolution of information in the digital age

The digital revolution has significantly transformed how individuals seek information and communicate with one another, changing their habits, tools, and languages. Professor Lorenzo Cantoni, Vice Dean and Full Professor at USI Faculty of Communication, Culture, and Society, discussed the evolution of information and communication in a recent interview with Marco Ambrosino for SSR Svizzera italiana CORSI. The interview was part of a round table focused on these important topics.

Over the last twenty-five years, Prof. Cantoni observes, there has been "an increasingly clear understanding of the importance of communication, which is deeply linked to all human activity". This transformation has been accompanied, he adds, "by the widespread, and at times 'invasive', diffusion of platforms and technological means that have supported and promoted new communication practices."

Among the factors that have contributed to this change, the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society identifies above all "the spread of smartphones. The iPhone recently turned 18, and we have grown accustomed to being constantly connected to the internet. Smartphones have become an integral part of our experience in the world." He also notes, "All organisations—whether they are companies or institutions—have transformed into media companies. They continuously produce and distribute content that goes far beyond mere marketing or promotional activities."

However, digitalisation has not only expanded the possibilities for obtaining information: it has also changed the depth with which we do so. "Easy access to information, along with its abundance and free availability, has led to the belief that we can learn everything about any topic," explains Cantoni. "However, due to algorithms, we may only encounter content that reinforces our beliefs and suggests that we are on the 'right' side, which can create a simplified and polarising view of reality."

Universities have a crucial role to play in addressing these challenges: "First and foremost, it is a question of helping young people understand the media in their historical development. This understanding allows them to contextualise and demystify the media's value, as well as grasp how it functions and its limitations," emphasises the USI professor. "Additionally, it is important for them to know how to use various technologies and platforms competently and ethically. Ideally, they should also learn how to develop new tools that better support human communication."

Finally, reflecting on trust in traditional media, Cantoni observes that "the spread of digital platforms is both a cause and an effect of a reduced regard for so-called traditional media." He adds, "the issue is not merely one of convenience and cost; more fundamentally, it stems from a growing perception that traditional media sources are often neither reliable nor politically neutral." In this sense, a path should be taken "that leads everyone, citizens, professionals and media companies alike, towards the restoration of a relationship of trust."

The full interview with Lorenzo Cantoni, conducted by Marco Ambrosino, is available on the SSR CORSI website: L’evoluzione dell’informazione con l’avvento della digitalizzazione. (Italian only)