What do studies on misinformation in brazilian Information Science have to tell us?

Abstract

Considering the harmful effects of misinformation in the overall context of human life that unfold in social, economic, environmental, and cultural dynamics, this investigation presents an overview of studies on "misinformation" in Information Science. The analysis was based on the documents indexed in the Brapci database from the first occurrence until the end of 2023. It was identified that the configuration of the studies on the topic is characterized by three scenarios: the first one covers five years and is marked by a limited interest in the topic, with only 15 publications during this period; the second scenario stands out for the significant increase in interest in the topic, with a considerable increase in the number of publications, with a 453% increase in publications compared to the first scenario. As for the third scenario, it is marked by uncertainty. A contextual analysis compared to the social context shows that the practical impacts of the topic have stimulated greater academic interest. It was identified that over nine years, most of the research is bibliographic, from which the absence of interdisciplinary collaborations with other areas is noted. The excessive emphasis on theory at the expense of applicability can potentially limit and underestimate the field's ability to address practical issues related to mitigating the impacts of informational disorders, which directly impact everyday life.