informationcommunication

Informationcommunication is a multidisciplinary field that studies how information is created, encoded, transmitted, stored, retrieved, and interpreted within communicative processes. It integrates concepts from information theory, communication studies, information science, and information systems to analyze technical channels, social contexts, and organizational structures that govern message exchange.

The field covers the design and analysis of systems for conveying information—from telephone networks and fiber-optic links to social media platforms and human-computer interfaces. It addresses both technological aspects (coding, networks, protocols, data integrity) and human aspects (perception, cognition, culture, media literacy).

Core models include linear and feedback-based frameworks such as sender-message-channel-receiver, and more nuanced socio-technical models that emphasize feedback loops, context, and power relations. Information theory provides quantitative measures of information content and channel capacity, while semiotics and pragmatics address meaning and interpretation.

Applications span telecommunications, information systems design, cybersecurity and privacy, analytics, education, journalism, and public policy. Researchers study information flow in organizations, information governance, user experience, and strategies to combat misinformation and information overload.

Historical development traces from Claude Shannon’s information theory and early telecommunication to contemporary ICT, the Internet, and AI-enabled data processing. Ongoing concerns include data stewardship, ethical use of information, access and digital divide, and governance of platforms that regulate information exchange.