09/11/2025

ON SUNDAY November 9, 2025 VI theSunday Special

Information overload: (³Ü ȳ ï¨ÈŒÀ ܚvÈ â³Ë ÀŒvˆ

F ILTERING what you read is essential in this day and age. There’s an adage that goes, “Information is knowledge and knowledge is power.” That’s because in the old days, access to informa tion was scarce. Even censorship works by denying or limiting access to information. However, the world is perpetually evolving. We live in an age where the news never sleeps. Our phones buzz with updates from WhatsApp groups, Instagram reels, TikTok feeds and online news portals – all competing for attention before we’ve even had our first sip of FR̆ HH This can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. If you’ve ever felt paralysed by the sheer volume of articles, opinions and “breaking news” popping up on your screen, you’re not alone. This is what experts call ‘information overload’. Going back to what we said earlier

BY ASHRAF WAHAB

The shift from newspapers to smartphones Not too long ago, Malaysians relied on newspapers, radio and television for updates. There was a certain rhythm to it: the morning paper with kopi O, the evening TV bulletin after dinner. Those days feel distant now. With smartphones, QHZV GRHVQ¶W ZDLW IRU XV ± LW ¿QGV XV Elrafaei noted that the credibility once attached to mainstream media has been eroded by the sheer convenience of digital platforms. In just a few seconds, you can access information from all corners of the world. While this has democratised access to knowledge, it has also blurred the line between what’s accurate and what’s misleading. The problem is not only about misin formation but also about volume. Even accurate news, when delivered in torrents, can overwhelm our ability to process and act on it.

about censorship, it works in a completely GL̆ HUHQW PHFKDQLVP LQ WRGD\¶V DJH ,W QRZ ÀRRGV SHRSOH ZLWK SUHPDWXUH LUUHOHYDQW and often fake information. Having power no longer means having access to data. Instead, having power in this era means NQRZLQJ ZKDW LQIRUPDWLRQ WR ¿OWHU DQG ignore. Malaysians are right in the thick of it, too. Elrafaei Sapi, a media consultant and former award-winning journalist with RYHU WZR GHFDGHV RI H[SHULHQFH FRQ¿UPV WKDW WKH UHDO GDQJHU LV QRW MXVW WKH ÀRRG of information but the way it shapes how we think and react. “The biggest concern is that people are quick to believe what they read without verifying the source. Many even share and comment emotionally based only on the headline,” he said. So how do we cut through the noise? Let’s explore why information overload matters and how we can better manage it.

The biggest concern is that people are quick to believe what they read without verifying the source.”

Elrafaei