Originalinformasjon

Originalinformasjon is a term used to describe information in its original, unaltered form as created by the source. It is contrasted with derived or modified versions that result from editing, processing, or translation. It is commonly used in archives, journalism, data management, and information governance to emphasize authenticity and traceability.

It covers primary data, original documents, media files, and associated metadata such as author, creation date, and format. Originalinformasjon can include intact content and its original metadata, while derivative copies may include altered text or structure.

Key to the concept is provenance: a record of the information's history from creation to present, often captured with provenance metadata, cryptographic hashes, digital signatures, and immutable logs. Preservation strategies aim to retain the original state while enabling access and legibility.

In journalism, it supports fact-checking and attribution. In archives, it underpins authenticity and legal value. In research and data governance, it informs reproducibility, licensing, and rights management.

Issues include tampering, data migration, format obsolescence, and identifying what counts as the "original" when multiple versions exist. Balancing accessibility with preservation and legal constraints can be complex.

Organizations use provenance models and metadata standards to describe originalinformasjon. Methods include checksums, version control, digital signatures, and, where applicable, blockchains or immutable ledgers.

See also primary source and data provenance.