In the post previous (Open Data in the age of social networks. Communication and information, some brief personal reflections) I expressed the idea that communication in general is a matter of pure anarchy. Let me complete this thought.
Social networks send us back a fairly plastic image of this idea of communication anarchy as a whole. An sms message, a tweet, a post on facebook do not follow a specific objective if not purely communicational, interacting with the level offriendship' or 'followers' with whom we communicate. It has no other purpose than 'unleash' further messages or 'reactions'. In fact, facebook has changed the 'I like' with 'expressions of emotions'. Communication in general is a fact 'emotional‘
The 'informational' datum is entered when 'the intended use‘, the function or functionality, the goal, the purpose.
I'll try to clarify this idea.
The real information is its own - as I stated in the previous post - it comes from the Institution or 'Source'.
This information is conveyed either explicitly or 'between the lines' through the statement published or made known, using any tool and bringing it to the knowledge of the general public, since it intends to perform a function.
Indeed McLuhan said 'the medium is the message', just to mean that it is the source, and the ways in which it is expressed, that sends out the message, the information.
The more widespread the medium which the source relies on, the stronger the message.
The PC, for example, is a medium, and is highly 'social', especially today.
The intrinsic message of the pc, in general, is an interrelation of human actions and expressions, among the most varied and creative possible. But also a very work interrelationship immediate. It is today's society in the time of globalization.
Another medium are the institutions, their relationship with the citizen, their tolerance or availability, their 'doing'. The institutions 'opening up' to transparent and at the same time particular communication, that is vis a vis with the citizen, in their relationship with each other, they convey information based on the degree of 'success' or 'appreciation' they manage to achieve.
Yet another medium par excellence is TV, more and more today 'on demand', or even digital, capable of transforming o 'do service‘ 'on demand', differentiating its offers in a myriad of particular needs. The given information comes precisely from this instrument multiculture, from the ability to adapt to the various aspects of social, global transformation.
Information is 'multitasking' which today we cannot do without. It is a 'political'-social fact.
So communication itself has not given 'politics' until it acquires a finality
At that point, various forms of communication can develop from general or generalized communication: public, crisis, social, institutional and service communication …
These communications have an informational datum, they are no longer anarchic, they pursue a purpose.
Even a simple citizen who writes a tweet can transmit information: about himself, about a fact or event he has witnessed, for example.
Could we define this as a form of information-journalism? No, certainly because we are on a level slightly below the broader social significance.
Yet some posts or tweets from individual social users can have an informative value when they tell us about a fact that has a certain importance, they inform us about one thing of great social value.
Generally, however, it happens that the communication of the single user is a purely autobiographical event and therefore of 'little informational value' but of high 'relational' value
So summarizing: the information conveys 'political' data;
the comunication conveys information only when it pursues a purpose, even a particular one;
the comunication without purpose of use, therefore in general, conveys information only when it assumes a social value 'as broad as possible', otherwise it is pure anarchy but ...relational.
The Open Data carry information on the reference source: the more 'open' they are and how much moresuccess' they encounter among the 'user audience', the stronger their message will be.
Information, therefore, must have the ability to reach a vast interested public, otherwise it is simple communication, with or without purpose
