The Changing Information Ecosystem in South Korea

This chapter applies the agent-affordance framework introduced in Chapter 2 to the ever-changing information ecosystem in South Korea by identifying changes in key agents and affordances in the country over the past three decades. This is accomplished in the context of co-adapting technological, cultural, political, and legal environments in the country. The chapter provides the background information necessary to explicating the dynamics of information generation and dissemination by and between different agents in South Korea. In particular, it contributes to enhancing understandings of technological, social, political, and legal affordances in South Korea that lay the groundwork for analyses in the subsequent chapters. South Korea’s news media environment, citizens’ use of social media, concerns of misinformation, and issues related to the division of the Korean Peninsula are discussed in the context of agent-affordance interactions. Secondary data analysis is used to document changes in the media environment and ecology in South Korea.

Conclusion

This chapter discusses lessons the candlelight vigils and other similar cases offer for our understanding of how collective actions co-adapt with information ecosystems. In particular, the author discusses how empirical data analysis informs the agent-affordance framework by illustrating ways in which information generation and distribution mechanisms involve diverse agents within the information ecosystem. This chapter also discusses how insights offered in this book might be applicable to citizens’ calls for major political changes in other democratic countries. The chapter concludes by summarizing the scholarly and policy contributions of the book and suggesting a need for specific research to examine challenges for democratic governance posed by the rapidly growing volume of information available in the public sphere.

Archeofinds. A Geodatabase for the Archiving, Management, and Analysis of Ancient World Artifacts

The reconstruction of ancient civilizations requires the analysis of the material manifestations that have come down to us. This complex process involves the collection, comparison, and joint analysis of multiple types of data that can benefit from the availability, accessibility, and implementation through the collective contribution of digital datasets structured and homologated, according to shared standards. Archeofinds is a geodatabase specifically designed to provide support for the processes of information generation and sharing, produced through the collection, management, and contextualized analysis of multiple types of data, relating to multiple classes of ancient world artifacts.

Designing an algorithm for supporting information generation process optimization

The paper considers the structural elements for an automated information reference decision support system (AIRDSS) in hierarchical multilevel complex organizational systems (HMLCOS). The task to ensure the functioning of the AIRDSS has been formulated. To solve it the main steps have been designated, which comprise the calculation of the importance coefficients for the supporting information (SI) elements and ordering of options based on a decision-maker’s preference followed by the choice of the utility prospective one. On the basis of the steps considered, the authors propose the algorithm to form the optimal structure of the AIRDSS procedural component’ elements for obtaining SI; the algorithm has a number of advantages: calculation simplicity for various experiments, a relatively simple formalization of expert knowledge into numerical values of importance.

Value-driven fears of modern information generations

Today, the problem of formation and life of generations is becoming very relevant. Many researchers in different countries note that representatives of the information younger generations have an increased risk of depression, anxiety and fears. In the study, we note the manifestations of modernity: transitivity of society, fluidity, “uncertainty” and etc. In this regard, young people face fluid socialization, a delay in the period of growing up and excessive parental care. There is a tendency of replacement of real contacts of young people with virtual ones, which can increase the level of anxiety. The trends of changing values in Russia in the direction of survival established earlier by Inglehart and Baker (2000) may have different prospects today. Some researchers show a high level of anxiety among young Russians. The situation with COVID-19 may aggravate these manifestations. Illusory correlations, false representations in the beliefs of young people also increase social anxiety. These realities determined the purpose of the study: to determine the value bases of young generations fears of the modern South of Russia. The sample included: schoolchildren (born in 2004-2005) - 150 people, schoolchildren of the 9th grade and 10th grade, information generation (born in 1995-1999) - 210 people, students, young workers, transition generation (born in 1965-1982) - 245 people, working adults of Rostov-on-Don. We used the following techniques: values were measured by S. Schwartz method, to determine fears we used the V. Pishchik method of determining values through actualized fears. The results of the study showed that the values of preservation and self-affirmation are more pronounced in the “Transition” and “Information” generations. The values of transcendence are expressed in all the studied generations with a greater extent in the “New” generation. The loss of culture scares the “Transitional” generation, the loss of oneself scares the “Information” generation, the information overload scares the “New” generation. We defined the value bases of the fears of the young generations of the modern South of Russia.