From Source-Criticism to System-Criticism, Born Digital Objects, Forensic Methods, and Digital Literacy for All

In an era dominated by digital information processing and communication systems, digital literacy has emerged as a critical competence. This competency is vital at all educational levels, fostering a profound and critical understanding of how information is processed digitally. Especially crucial is the ability to discern information sources, evaluate their expertise, and recognize potential biases, fundamental for the stability of democratic societies. This imperative becomes even more pronounced for historians engaging with original digital sources and analytical tools. Without reflective consideration of the epistemic conditions and consequences of these methods, historians risk compromising the reproducibility of their findings and undermining their long-term epistemic authority. This paper contends that historians, with their specific expertise and perspectives, can significantly contribute to the establishment and dissemination of a digital literacy canon. Source criticism and hermeneutics, integral to interpreting information, transcend the medium, be it digital or otherwise. However, in the digital realm, source criticism requires verifying the completeness, authenticity, provenance, context, and environment of data. To achieve this, the historian’s toolkit must integrate methods from digital forensics. Conducting digital forensics and source criticism demands a foundational understanding of computer architecture and functionality. An accessible route to grasp the complexities of modern digital technology is to study its historical genesis. Viewing digital information and communication systems as culturally situated technologies within historical and social contexts allows historians to contribute significantly to digital literacy in education. The historical discipline, positioned as a mediator, can play a pivotal role in comprehending the evolution of information technology. Understanding the cultural, political, economic, and social contexts is imperative. Embracing this role would position historians as key agents in transmitting digital literacy in educational settings, both at schools and universities.