Informatsiya

Informatsiya is the content that reduces uncertainty about a subject by providing data in a context that makes sense to a receiver. It is data that has been processed, organized, or presented with meaning and relevance, distinguishing it from raw data that has not yet been interpreted.

The term is widely used across languages and regions. In Russian, the word is Информация, transliterated as informatsiya; in other languages such as Uzbek and Kazakh, similar forms appear. The concept denotes attributes, relations, or events that inform decisions or understanding.

Informatsiya has several quality dimensions: accuracy, relevance, timeliness, completeness, and source credibility. It can be quantitative or qualitative, structured or unstructured, explicit or tacit. The value of information depends on its fit for purpose and its context.

Historically, information processing has evolved from written records and printing to telephone and broadcasting, and now to digital networks. Information theory, developed by Claude Shannon in the mid-20th century, treats information as a measurable quantity, quantifiable in bits, and studies limits of data compression and reliable communication over noisy channels.

In contemporary use, informatsiya underpins information systems, media, science, and governance. It features in debates on information security, privacy, copyright, and open data. The concept also underlies the idea of the information society, where access to data and knowledge is a central resource for economies and cultures. Related topics include data, knowledge, and information systems.