PARALYZED BY INFORMATION: WHY WE NEED TO REVALUE THE INTERNET

This Podcast examines the paradox of informational abundance in contemporary society. Although access to information has expanded at an unprecedented scale, the cognitive tools required to interpret and evaluate such information have not developed at the same pace. Drawing on research in cognitive overload and media theory, the paper argues that excessive exposure to digital content produces “analysis paralysis,” weakening rational decision-making and democratic agency. It contends that educational institutions have not adequately integrated media literacy as a structural response to algorithmically mediated environments, leaving citizens increasingly vulnerable to cognitive fragmentation and corporate influence.