Introduction
Information Manipulation is the ability to manipulate information of objects and beings. There are many effects that can be achieved from this power, such as manipulating the properties of the target through changing its information , changing the information that people know, or even altering reality itself.
Possible Uses
- Information Creation: The ability to generate new data, facts, or knowledge within a given context. This process involves introducing new information into a system or environment.
- Information Destruction: The capability to erase, eliminate, or nullify existing data, facts, or knowledge. This action results in the elimination or annihilation of specific informational content.
- Information Alteration: The capacity to modify, transform, or change existing information pertaining to objects, laws, logic, etc. Information Alteration enables individuals to adjust or manipulate data, facts, or knowledge within a given framework. This process allows for the transformation of information to suit specific purposes or outcomes.
These definitions align with the broader concept of Information Manipulation, which encompasses the manipulation of information related to various entities and systems, offering a wide range of applications in fictional contexts.
Types
1. Fundamental: Characters that can manipulate the information that is the very building blocks of reality. With this power, the user is able to rewrite the world and its reality through altering the information that defines it, as if they're programming a virtual world. The applications of this power are different, from altering reality, to even change laws, causality or history itself.
- Examples: Asriel Dreemurr (UNDERTALE), Altair (Re:Creators), Akashic Records (Vampire Hunter D)
2. Lesser Fundamental: Characters that can change the properties of specific targets through changing the information that defines them, making them capable of essentially "reprogramming" specific targets and altering their attributes. Applications of this power are numerous, examples being changing their statistics, giving to them rules that they cannot break, or also manipulating their morals and/or memories.
3. Knowledge: Characters that can manipulate information as the general knowledge on the target. With this ability, characters can for example erase information of the target, thus making it unknowable and/or unrecognizable, or prevent information to leave a specific area, so the people outside won't have knowledge of it, or also alter information of the subject so what people know of it will change to something else.
- Examples: Satoru Gojo (Jujutsu Kaisen), Ein Sof (Angelarium), Yaha-kui zaShunina (Kado: The Right Answer)
Limitations
- Users are bound to the degree of information they've shown to manipulate in order to avoid NLF. For example, a character who can manipulate Information on Type 3 level cannot manipulate higher types.
- Users are bound to the use of their power. A character who can create information cannot alter and/or destroy it unless otherwise shown, or viceversa.
- Users are bound to the objects they've shown to manipulate. For example, a character who alters the information of living beings cannot be assumed to be able to change inanimate objects, unless the context hints at such. However this limitation does not apply to Type 1, due to it being the information that makes up reality itself.
Notes
- Changing what a specific person knows about something doesn't qualify as Type 3 Information Manipulation, but instead is Mind Manipulation, due to it changing the knowledge of a single individual rather than directly altering the general information that is known.
- Analyzing information though Clairvoyance doesn't qualify for Information Manipulation of any kind, due to it not changing anything.
- Changing computer data wouldn't qualify as Information Manipulation, but just Technology Manipulation.