Introduction

Our world is increasingly global, so it is important to consider issues in information science through a global lens. Regardless of where in the world an information organization exists, they all “share one primary mission: to serve and transform their communities” (Hirsh, 2022). Information professionals should act responsibly for the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of the world.

The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA)’s 2024 trend report identified trends in the library and information science (LIS) field that deal with issues like knowledge practices, trust in public institutions, technologies, resources, and community.

Global Challenges in Technology

Unregulated artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies are affecting the entire world. In 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on member states “to refrain from or cease the use of artificial intelligence systems that are impossible to operate in compliance with international human rights law or that pose undue risks to the enjoyment of human rights” (Mishra, 2024). The resolution also addressed technology in general, recognizing the challenges developing countries face when trying to keep up “with the rapid pace of innovation.”

IFLA identified the main technological changes facing the world as information integrity, balancing creators’ rights with enabling new forms of creativity, detecting deepfakes, and information loss from cyberattacks (IFLA, 2025, p. 19). One of the biggest concerns is the rise of deepfakes, “media content created by AI technologies that are generally meant to be deceptive” (p. 21).

Internet Access & Cultural Frameworks

Another problem is internet access. According to Hirsh (2022), information organizations must make “providing access to basic information and technology to all members of society” a high priority. Some parts of the world still rely on 3G technology, “by far the most prevalent mobile broadband technology in the poorest countries, where more than 20 percent of the population remains off the connectivity grid” (IFLA, 2025, p. 23). At the same time, 6G technology will develop over the next decade. This will further the divide between the richest and poorest countries, harming the well-being of the world.

IFLA also identified the uneven distribution of technologies as a threat to the economic and cultural well-being of the world. The one-third of the world’s population that is offline “is at risk of being left behind by the digital economy” (IFLA, 2025, p. 37). Inclusive cultural frameworks can be used to decolonize the LIS field and address endangered languages (p. 39-40). Realistic estimates state that 90-95 percent of currently spoken languages “will become extinct or seriously endangered by the end of this century,” with most being Indigenous languages (p. 40). Inclusive data practices, like collecting more disaggregated data, are suggested as a way to give citizens a greater voice, “reveal disproportionate experiences and forge strategies to address disparate impacts within particular groups” (OECD, 2022, p. 61).

Trust in Institutions

“Trust in governments and public institutions around the world is declining” and “at near historic lows” (IFLA, 2025, p. 27, p. 28). For society to flourish, we need to re-establish this lost trust. There is a global trend of “news deserts” forming, places with no local news, “a result of large corporations dominating news ownership” (p. 28). Without local news media, citizens must rely on social media or big media outlets. People want truly local news they can trust, but are being met with paywalled journalism. The decline in trust and lack of news go hand-in-hand.

Evidence

Artifact 1

Assignment: Deepfakes as a Tool for Misinformation
Course: INFO 287, AI, Data & Ethics
Description: The capstone project in this class was a research paper on any topic relating to AI, data, and ethics. I focused on the issue of deepfakes, which were a major news story at the time of writing, and their effect on misinformation. In the paper, I discuss misinformation as a concept, problems with deepfakes, deepfakes and ethical concerns, the future of the technology, and legislation being proposed around the world. I argue that legislation regarding deepfakes is a necessity to address the serious harms deepfakes can cause. My previous career as a lawyer helped me research the pending and proposed legislation about deepfakes, as well as helped me explore the possibility of using common law to address these harms, since legislation may never come, or may not come soon enough.

This paper demonstrates my understanding of how a specific technological issue has a global impact. Deepfakes are an issue that can affect anyone in the world. While states in the United States have some pending or enacted legislation addressing deepfakes in various ways, other countries seem to be moving faster. In 2024, the United Kingdom made it illegal to create sexually explicit deepfakes. Creating deepfakes without consent could lead to a criminal record and a fine, and if the deepfake gets shared more widely, there is a possibility of jail time. Australia and many Canadian provinces have also enacted criminal offenses that could apply to deepfakes. Deepfakes are a global issue that require serious consideration.

Artifact 2

Assignment: Blog Post #6 – Chilean Ufology and the Problem of Evidence
Course: INFO 200, Information Communities
Description: This assignment asked me to write a blog post related to issues my information community faces on an international scale, like how similar information communities seek and create information in their cultural context.

My information community was ufologists, people who are interested in and study unidentified flying objects. I discovered through my research that Chile has a long history of UFO sightings and related phenomena. While most world governments ignored or studied UFOs in secret, Chile publicly investigated UFOs, forming a governmental body that people could report aerial phenomena to in 1997. After a sighting is reported, a team of internal and external advisors determine if there is an explanation. In the cultural context of Chile, a mostly Christian country, UFO sightings often have religious tropes, like conversing with extraterrestrials about the Virgin Mary and Jesus. Chile has taken this history of UFO sightings and created a tourist industry around it; in 2008, a “UFO Trail” opened where tourists can see supposed landing sites and use amenities like restaurants and hostels. This blog post demonstrates my ability to investigate a topic from a global perspective, focusing on the cultural and economic aspects of ufology in Chile.

Artifact 3

Assignment: Information Literacy Book Review
Course: INFO 285, Applied Research Methods
Description: This assignment asked me to read a recent book on information literacy and review it, paying attention to its main argument, how it was argued, whether I was persuaded, the academic background of the author, and whether I would recommend it to others. I chose to read More than a glitch: Confronting race, gender, and ability bias in tech by Meredith Broussard. Broussard argues that technochauvinism, “the assumption that computers are better than humans — which is actually a claim that the people who make and program computers are better than other humans” is rampant in our society, which relies on algorithms more and more all the time.

Technochauvinism is a global issue in a variety of ways, letting biases impede actual progress in many areas. Racism in technology is especially prevalent; for instance, when a medical diagnostic technology is tested only on fair skin, there will be issues in applying the data to other skin tones. If these technological developments are left unchecked, the ripple effects will spread to the rest of the world.

Conclusion

Going forward in my career, I want to ensure my actions support the cultural, economic, educational, and social well-being of the world. I will keep up with publications like IFLA’s trend reports, because they offer a number of scenarios that information professionals can use to guide their actions. IFLA also publishes four issues of IFLA Journal a year, which I can read to stay up-to-date on global LIS issues.

References

Albright, K. (2022). Leadership skills for today’s global information landscape. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction. Rowman & Littlefield.

Dezuanni, M., Osman, K., Burton, A. L., & Heck, E. (2025, January 30). IFLA trend report 2024: Facing the future of information with confidence. International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions. https://repository.ifla.org/items/ae4dfcc0-8def-4318-8c4c-7f0507d15609

Hirsh, S. (2022). What it means to be an information professional today. In S. Hirsh (Ed.), Information services today: An introduction. Rowman & Littlefield.

Mishra, V. (2024, March 21). General Assembly adopts landmark resolution on artificial intelligence. UN News. https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/03/1147831

OECD. (2022). Building trust and reinforcing democracy: Preparing the ground for government action. OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/76972a4a-en