Informationsströmen

Informationsströmen describes the continuous, multi-channel flow of information within and between systems, organizations, and societies. It encompasses the creation, transmission, processing, storage, and consumption of information as it moves through channels such as media, networks, and human agents.

Origins and scope: In German-language discourse, the term is used in information science, communication studies and media sociology to analyze how information is produced and circulated in real time, and how different actors shape and respond to it.

Characteristics: The streams are rapid, distributed across many platforms, and often asynchronous. They are characterized by multiplex content, feedback loops, and reliance on algorithms and metadata to route, filter, and rank information.

Implications: The dynamic of informationsströmen affects attention, decision-making and governance. It can generate information overload, polarization, and the spread of misinformation, but also enable transparency, collaboration and rapid responses in crises. The management of information streams involves topics such as curatorial practices, filtering, privacy, and platform design.

Contexts and examples: Examples include social media feeds, news ecosystems, corporate data pipelines, and streaming or chat-based information services where multiple sources compete for user attention.

See also: Information overload, information flow, data stream, information architecture, media ecology.