Internet giving us too much information?

 

Gallery

Posted on 12 Nov 2008 at 16:59

Four out of five internet users have complained of 'information overload' according to a recent Yahoo! survey.

They claim that they are getting so much information through websites, emails, instant messages and social networking websites that it is stressful trying to keep up with the latest news in the media, friends and colleagues. 62 per cent of respondents claim the strain is so severe that it is having a detrimental impact on their lives.

Half of the respondents claim to have symptoms of 'Information Fatigue Syndrome'; a psychological term referring to an overwhelming feeling of being faced with an incomprehensible amount of information.

According to Yahoo!, the majority of us will readily admit to suffering from this exhaustion, but cannot tear ourselves away from the net, through fear of missing out on important news or events.

63 per cent of the survey's respondents believe they may miss out on an opportunity if they log off, and 42 per cent admitted that they would feel unwanted if they didn't receive regular mobile texts or e-mails.

One major factor contributing to our stress is the quantity of unwanted information we receive, either through email, or through trawling through irrelevant websites to find what we're looking for.

"With the explosion of the internet, people are having to sift through increasing volumes of unfiltered information which can have a negative impact on their lives," said Kristof Fahy, vice president for marketing at Yahoo! Europe. "One by-product of the digital generation is Information Fatigue Syndrome, which is affecting more than half of internet users in the UK."

Fahy reckons our inability to screen out irrelevant data adequately is a contributory factor to wasted time and added stress. He said that better use of the search features that the web has to offer would cut down our stress levels.

"There are various tools in place to help people screen out irrelevant data. People are using search engines, tags and bookmarks to locate and store relevant sites and data. Internet providers, such as Yahoo!, have also recognised the need to make navigating and controlling internet content easier," he said.

Author: Dawinderpal Sahota