Today, we’ve never had so much access to information. Between notifications, news feeds, and social media, we’re bombarded with news nonstop. Yet, paradoxically, we often feel like we’re missing out on the most important things. Why?
💡 Infobesity: drowning in the news
The phenomenon of infobesity, or “information overload,” is a term popularized by writer Alvin Toffler as early as the 1970s. Today, this overload is amplified by digital technology. We consume news like we scroll on TikTok: endlessly, quickly switching from one topic to another. The result? We retain little, skip analysis, and get drawn in by shock headlines, viral images, or the buzz of the moment.
👉 In 2022, a study from the University of California estimated that the average person is exposed to the equivalent of 34 GB of information per day – the equivalent of 100,000 words read or heard daily!
🧠 The trap of superficiality
Our brain is not designed to process so much information at once. It sorts, simplifies, selects… often based on what strikes us the most: what is short, easy to grasp, visual, or emotional.
➡️ This is called “processing fluency”: the easier an information is to understand, the more likely we are to consider it credible, even if it’s false or incomplete.
Social media amplifies this bias: algorithms favor content that generates engagement (likes, comments, shares), often at the expense of quality or accuracy. Short formats, divisive or sensational content are therefore overrepresented, to the detriment of nuance.
🔄 The illusion of mastery
Because we are exposed to a multitude of snippets of information, we get the impression of being well-informed. But in reality, knowing a headline or a tweet is not the same as understanding a topic in depth. This is known as the informational Dunning-Kruger effect: we believe we know it all… when in fact, we only have a superficial vision.
➡️ A Reuters Institute report (2023) shows that trust in the media is declining, even though people continue to seek information—often through unreliable or poorly structured channels. In other words: the more we are exposed to information, the less we trust it.
🚀 How to take back control?
The solution is not to run away from information, but to learn to consume it better:
🔍 1. Read beyond the headlines
Don’t stop at punchlines: read multiple sources, cross-check perspectives, and seek context. Headlines are often designed to attract, not to explain.
🛑 2. Take a step back
If a piece of information triggers a strong emotion (anger, fear, outrage), ask yourself: why this reaction? Is the info biased, distorted, manipulated? A good reflex: look for a reliable source that puts the facts into perspective.
⏳ 3. Disconnect to understand better
Consuming less news, but better, also means being clearer about the world around us. Some researchers even talk about a “media diet”: reducing noise to better hear the essential signals.
