Once upon a time, knowledge was measured in thick textbooks, long lectures and the authority of subject experts. Today, it might appear in a meme, a podcast, or a 60-second Instagram reel. According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), social media and video are fast emerging as dominant sources of news. This trend reflects not just where we get our knowledge from but also what we consider knowledge itself.

Traditionally, information transitioned slowly. Even if we go back to the basic newspaper, today’s headlines carry the previous day’s news. Libraries, journals, and formal institutions were the fulcrum of knowledge, and one’s legitimacy rested on editorial checks, peer review or institutional endorsement.

In contrast, today a single LinkedIn post can spark professional debates that were not long ago confined to conferences. Anyone with earphones can be an expert these days, thanks to podcasts. Skills are picked up from YouTube tutorials, while memes themselves have become a source of political commentary and news.

As consumers of instant information, we are exposed to volumes of content in various forms, shapes, and sizes. Platforms are powered by algorithmic pulls, delivering to the screen what you might like, creating echo chambers. At a psychological level, this confirms existing beliefs, and at the technological level, our information diet is curated by it.

The consequences are visible. During the Covid-19 pandemic, false cures and conspiracy theories circulated far faster than official updates and medical bulletins.

A study by MIT researchers found that false news spreads about six times faster than genuine news on Twitter.

Although technology has democratized knowledge, as creators of knowledge, we are part of what media scholar Henry Jenkins calls a “participatory culture.”

Knowledge is no longer just received; it is created, remixed, liked, shared and reshared by users. Wikipedia entries, citizen journalism during protests, and viral Instagram explainers show how collective intelligence can challenge traditional gatekeepers.

But what appeals to the creator is the system established on numbers and likability and driven by emotions and virality. Micro-influencers and opinion leaders amplify this process, shaping public discourse in unprecedented ways.

It is a world where knowledge is everywhere, for instance, people can participate in online forums, Reddit, or discussion boards, exchange ideas, and learn from each other worldwide. Content can be created and consumed with utmost ease in terms of accessibility and speed. The content we create is based on the inputs we source and consume,

and opinions that are formed are driven by algorithms beyond logic. In the spiral of knowledge, we play dual roles-as creators and consumers of content.

The paradox is striking. Knowledge has been democratized, but on shaky technological grounds. If the 20th century taught us that “knowledge is power,” the 21st might transport us back to the fundamental question: what is knowledge?

(The writer is the Social Media Lead at the Indian Institute of Management-Visakhapatnam)