Researching Informational Technologies of Trust: From Blockchain to Paradata and Digital Archives

Information science research has a long-time interest in diverse informational means of codifying, communicating and maintaining trust as an antecedent and outcome of information, and a central constituent of information practices. While the landscape of the gatekeepers and guarantors of access to trustworthy information for a long time remained relatively stable, since the turn of the millennium, it has evolved rapidly with several new and repurposed social and digital technologies developed and repurposed for mediating and preserving trust. The purpose of this panel is to engage in exploring from theoretical, practical and empirical perspectives such technologies across the information field. The panelists present research conceptualizing, documenting, developing and describing informational technologies of mediating and preserving trust specifically addressing: 1) what different approaches to mediating and maintaining trust exist and can be identified in information science and technology research and practice; 2) how different information technologies of trust influence the understanding and conceptualisations of trust and trustworthy information; and 3) what novel insights from the current state-of-the-art research can be drawn for helping practitioners to empower and put people first when interacting with informational technologies of trust in different areas of the information field, including knowledge organisation and information behaviour and practices, records management, digital preservation, and and development of information systems and services. Annual Meeting of the Association for Information Science & Technology | Oct. 25 – 29, 2024 | Calgary, AB, Canada.