Folksonomies and the New Order: Authority in the Digital Disorder

Abstract

Jens-Erik Mai is Associate Professor in the Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto, where he previously served as Vice Dean and Acting Dean. His research interests lie in the broad area of representation and organization of information; his current scholarship questions the conceptual foundation of classification and seeks to establish an epistemological foundation that accepts the plu- rality of interpretations across communities. He has published on conceptual and methodological is- sues in the organization and representation of information—semiotics, theoretical frameworks, index- ing theory, domain analysis, and cognitive work analysis. His most recent publications explore author- ity and trust in information organization. Mai, Jens-Erik. Folksonomies and the New Order: Authority in the Digital Disorder. Knowledge Organization, 38(2), 114-122. 35 references. ABSTRACT: While the organization and representation of information and knowledge have historically been done by profes- sionals, the rise of social media has spread the notion that this can be done more collaboratively. A more collaborative approach would entail a change in the role of professionals and in the goals and values of the systems. This paper explores the notion of authority and the role of professionals in a changing environment where more people participate in the organization and repre- sentation of information and knowledge. The paper questions the traditional role of the professionals and argues that systems must be designed to facilitate trust and authority, and that the authority of folksonomies and systems comes from the users' collective interpretations and meaning production.