This document discusses the concept of transdiegetic information and its importance. Transdiegetic information refers to information that can seamlessly move between being diegetic (part of the narrative world) and nondiegetic (outside the narrative world). As technologies become more interactive and immersive, the distinction between diegetic and nondiegetic information is blurring. This has implications for how we experience and interact with reality, each other, and information itself. Some open questions are around how to design transdiegetic technologies, and what their social and ethical impacts may be.

1. TRANSDIEGETIC INFORMATION:
WHAT IT IS AND WHY IT MATTERS
Luciano Floridi
Professor of Philosophy and Ethics of Information
Director of Research

2. Diegesis = "recounted story”.
Sound is diegetic or not, depending on
whether its source is or is not “inside”
the narrative.
E.g. source music vs. mood music.

3. Diegetic information
Nondiegetic information
characters
viewers
FILM

4. OUTLINE OF THE PRESENTATION
 Diegetic vs. nondiegetic information
 Transdiegetic information
 Onlife and transdiegetic information
 Why transdiegesis matters
 Some open questions

5. Diegetic information
Casablanca
Michael Curtiz
1942

6. Non-diegetic information
in Casablanca, directed
by Michael Curtiz, 1942.
Nondiegetic information
Casablanca
Michael Curtiz
1942

7. Information is diegetic or not
depending on whether it is available
(not: accessible) to informees within a
specified context, or environment
(infosphere).

8. Diegetic information
Nondiegetic information

9. Crossing the threshold.
Two examples:
① nondiegetic used diegetically
② diegetic used nondiegetically

10. Apocalypse Now
Francis Ford Coppola
1979
① nondiegetic used diegetically

11. House of Cards
developed by Beau Willimon for Netflix
Season 1, 2013
② diegetic used nondiegetically.

12. Interactivity can erase the distinction
between diegetic (internal) and non-
diegetic (external) information.
Information is transdiegetic if it can
move seamlessly between D and ND
spaces dynamically.
Design of User Interface (UI) becomes
crucial.

13. Diegetic information
Nondiegetic information
Transdiegetic information

14. Mass Effect 3 (2012), third person shooter,
BioWare, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, MS
Windows, Wii U.
① Transdiegetic: from D to NOND

15. Dead Space 3 (2013), third-person shooter,
Visceral Games and Electronic Arts, MS
Windows, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3.
② Transdiegetic: from NOND to D

16. Why does Transdiegesis matter?
ICTs are “transdiegetising” our world.

17. Blurring the distinction between
① reality/virtuality
② human, machine and nature
Changing information from
③ scarcity to abundance
Shifting priority from
④ from entities to interactions

18. ① reality vs virtuality

19. ① reality vs virtuality

20. ② Human – Machine – Natural
Cathy Hutchinson controls a robot arm
with her thoughts, through BrainGate.
May 2012.

21. ③ From scarc
to abundance

22. ④ from entities to interactions
To be is to (be) interact(able)

23. 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
22.5
20
17.5
15
12.5
10
7.5
5
2.5
0
Ca. 20% of EU population used a laptop to access
the internet, via wireless away from home or work.
ONLIFE

24. Inside the computer
Outside the computer
ONLIFE

25. Head-Up Display of Need for Speed: Hot
Pursuit, Criterion Games and EA Digital
Illusions, Electronic Arts, Xbox 360, 2010.
ONLIFE

26. Harry's LapTimer, iPhone/iPod/iPad app,
version: 17.1.5, updated: 30 August 2013,
developer: Harald Schlangmann.
ONLIFE

27. The diegetisation of ICTs displays.
From “mass-effecting” reality
to “dead-spacing” it?

28.  how should we design
transdiegetic ICTs?
 what are the moral, educational,
and social challenges of
transdiegetic ICTs?
 what are the right policies
that should guide the
development and regulation
of transdiegetic ICTs?

29. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. This research was
supported by an AHRC grant.
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