Information and Thought Leadership, Part 2

A continuation of my thoughts from the other day.  There has been a huge explosion in the amount of information that is available in recent years, given the exponential growth rates in internet usage, mobile tools and social media.  This has created significant opportunities for peoples and companies - in the fields of collection, collation, coordination and creative display of information.  In fact, it has even economically lifted entire countries, such as India, and enabled them to grow their middle class and enjoy higher standards of living in record periods of time.

At the same time, the overload of information has often led to rampant confusion, contamination of data and inefficiency in our ability to process this information.  The elixir of “freedom of information” has often become the poison of “unreliable” information.  The focus of the technological elite has shifted from managing the storage and retrieval of data to “smart” or “intelligent” data mining and management.

Also, in a world where disinformation and misinformation are being actively and fastidiously introduced by unscrupulous elements, the battle for the management and control of information is translating to a battle for the management and control of thought, and thereby a battle for ultimate power.  Our field is helping government organizations facilitate new calls to action for openness, transparency and public participation – I hope these efforts will quell some of that misinformation out there.