Battling For the Truth in the Age of Generative AI: The War Against Disinformation and Librarians as the Last Frontier

Abstract

The authenticity of information has become a serious matter threatening humanity. Dis-information, Mis-information, Mal-information, Fake news, Deepfake, infodemic, etc. have amplified. In a Post-Truth Time, a war between the truth and Disinformation has begun. The widespread of Social Media Apps and Smart Phones —as well as the enormous efforts of bridging the Digital Gap together with the advancement of the Generative AI technology—are rapidly contributing to this problem instead of particularly nurturing sustainable growth. As cyber space becomes a very popular destination for information seekers, instead of traditional libraries, it seems that some people have also programmed technology to invade it with unworthy, non-quality, untruthful, inaccurate, unreliable, and false information. If it gets out of control, this war promises the imminent collapse of not only the knowledge realm, but also of Libraries and Librarians, the publishing industry, and the Digital Society as a Post-Industrial Society. It will also undermine humanity and risks its advancement because the continuation of the escalation of these negatively disruptive problems promises nothing but a future with information chaos where nobody will be safe to navigate the truth. If Libraries can offer palliative care in this case, what is the question? Within the Digital Modernity, Libraries can play a major role in tackling these issues. Librarians are the gatekeepers; they are our last frontier where digital citizens can reach out and seek refuge from the uncertainty of the information disorder brewing outside their walls; Librarians are our knowledge custodians and have always helped protect the truth. This paper is not meant to propose a solution, but it argues that Librarians as a historic protector of the truth, can definitely contribute along with other stakeholders by establishing methods, governance, acts, awareness, etc. that can promote quality information and tackle false information created by the Generative AI.