Umberto Eco on Miscommunication in the Digital Age

In an article on doppiozero, Alice Giannitrapani and Anita Romanello explore Umberto Eco's reflections on persistent miscommunication despite—or because of—the proliferation of communication media and interconnection technologies. They cite Eco's observation that people constantly misunderstand each other, uttering phrases like "But I didn't mean that" or "But that's not what he said." These defensive statements serve as fragile trenches separating speakers from listeners. The authors draw a parallel to the childhood game of telephone, where a whispered message gets distorted as it passes from person to person. The article suggests that miscommunication is not a new phenomenon but has always been part of human interaction. The piece is published on May 28, 2026, on doppiozero.