Information Architectures as Sociotechnical Competitions

It seems simultaneously trivial and exceedingly challenging to characterize the profound changes that have been ushered in with the internet and other information communication technologies. The resulting—and increasing—coupling of our various online and offline systems and networks has caused seismic shifts in how information is created, disseminated, and incorporated into our world and our societies. As a result of near zero-cost information transport, and the increased coupling of digital, cyber, social, physical, and commercial systems and networks, it seems reasonable to consider the hypothesis that information architectures —the set of traffic rules, power centers, and norms that affect or govern the flow of information—are now a dominant force shaping social cohesion, innovation, and ideological competitions. This workshop proposes to bring together a multi-disciplinary group of researchers to discuss how to characterize, quantify, and intervene on the nature of information architectures. Special consideration will be given to the ways in which information flow affects societally relevant outcomes.