The Information Ecosystem

The Information Ecosystem

By: Nellie Tanglib

            Information is defined to be a definite knowledge that is either acquired or supplied about something. Also, it is referred to as a gathered data and facts about a certain subject. On the other hand, an ecosystem is defined as a localized group of interdependent organisms, both living and non-living, together with the environment that they live in and depend on. Is it then right to say that an information ecosystem is an environment with interdependent organisms that depends on information itself as something that makes the ecosystem in itself work? This article will, hopefully, help you understand more about an information ecosystem.

            An information ecosystem, as defined by IGI Global, is a system with the capacity to manage information and build relationships between objects viewed into a specific context. In addition, it is an information environment in which individuals and communities interact in internet. Simply put it as an environment that has the capability of managing information and building connections between and among individuals in the same environment which includes the interaction of individuals and communities over the internet. In this environment, information is referred to as the main resource.

            Knute Berger, former Executive Editor of Washington Magazine, once said that in the ecology of media, information is the stuff of life. Like protoplasm, it is encapsuled and channeled in myriad forms all woven together in a delicate systemic harmony – and what’s more, the "life forms" in the information ecosystem are evolving (Berger, K. 1997). In his article, he mentioned that an individual in itself does not make an ecosystem but the linking together of individuals and how they interact with each other through various mediums makes such ecosystem. Moreover, as mentioned in the article of Timothy Norris and Todd Soumela, information ecosystem is used as a metaphor in describing information systems that support scholarly communication and varied forms of data sharing and publication. Also, the “information ecosystem” is an unknowable whole that is greater than the sum of its parts that evolves and grows in an almost realistic manner. With this, information ecosystem implies the concept of evolution, connectivity, diversity, complexity, dynamic equilibriums in terms of how information is managed and interconnected.

            Given that, information ecosystem is a complex web of interactions arising between information producers and consumers, information is interpreted in its widest sense. Information, in a way is complex and dynamic in such ecosystem which involves greater understanding and management of such information. It is then that an information ecosystem involves the interaction of both living and non-living organisms to be able to manage such amount of information.

            An information ecosystem also involve “agents” that will keep the ecosystem working. This includes the information producer and the information consumer or the information broker. Information broker, as discussed by Marrow, P., Koubarakis, M., et al in their article “Agents in Decentralised Information Ecosystems: The DIET Approach”, is the ones that would allow information (or service) requesters to find efficiently information (or service) providers that can fulfil their requests. Through this “agents”, the flow of information from one “agent” to another defines how the information ecosystem works and how information in itself is managed and developed all throughout the process.

Reference:

BERGER, K. 1997. The Information Ecosystem: Putting the Promise of the Information age into Perspective. Retrieved online from https://www.context.org/iclib/ic23/berger1/

CHEN, W. 2017. The Universe is and Information Ecosystem. Retrieved online from https://www.google.com.ph/search?q=the+information+ecosystem&rlz=1C1GCEB_enPH782PH782&oq=the+information+ecosystem&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l4.5204j0j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

IGI GLOBAL. n.d “Information Ecosystem definition. Retrieved online from https://www.igi-global.com/dictionary/information-ecosystem/14386

MARROW, P., KOUBARAKIS, M., ET AL. n.d. Agents in Decentralised Information Ecosystems: The DIET Approach. Retrieved online from http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download;jsessionid=DFEC4271676AB5629A7FD1542C5E5AF5?doi=10.1.1.488.5708&rep=rep1&type=pdf

NORRIS, T., SOUMELA, T. n.d. Information in the Ecosystem: Against the “Information Ecosystem”. Retrieved online from http://firstmonday.org/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/6847/6530