Non-information

The absence, lack, or deliberate withholding of data, facts, knowledge, or insights. It encompasses situations where relevant information is unavailable, concealed, misleading, or intentionally vague. This can occur due to various factors, including censorship, ignorance, secrecy, data gaps, or purposeful obfuscation. 'Non-information' can hinder understanding, impede decision-making, and distort perceptions of reality. It is a state characterized by either a complete void or a purposeful lack of clear and meaningful content. The significance of 'non-information' lies in its potential to shape beliefs, actions, and the overall awareness of a subject or topic, sometimes contributing to misinformation or a lack of comprehension.

Non-information meaning with examples

• The government's refusal to release financial records created a cloud of non-information surrounding the project's costs, fueling public suspicion and mistrust, hindering transparent evaluation and accountability. This lack of data made it impossible for independent watchdogs or the public to determine the project’s financial viability and ethical propriety.
• After the leak of sensitive documents, the company issued a press release filled with non-information, using vague language to avoid addressing specific allegations and instead offering platitudes that did not quell concerns, leading to a loss of investor confidence and damaging the company's reputation.
• The curriculum of a private school, as described to the new parents, was a carefully crafted presentation, a subtle and carefully constructed screen of non-information, meant to shield them from the school's actual philosophy, teaching methods, and less desirable attributes.
• The lack of clear communication from emergency services, the absence of specific details and updates, generated a frustrating sense of non-information among those seeking to help in times of crisis, which, consequently, hindered rescue and relief efforts.
• In the courtroom, the lawyer's clever strategies and use of strategic pauses and selective disclosure effectively concealed non-information, thus shaping the narrative and making it difficult for the jury to determine the truth behind key pieces of evidence.