I was reading an article in the Economist a few weeks ago, talking about how information is the new oil. I have a bit of a problem with this analogy. My issue is that it assumes that information wasn’t as valuable (or more so) beforehand. We are putting more and more of our data online, and we have much more ability to track our data. What you may not realize is that information (personal, professional, governmental, etc.) has always had immense value. The difference is that we are just realizing it now.
If you take a look back a few centuries, you will see that information was as valuable then, if not more so, than it is now. Back in the 15th century or so, people having actual printed books were rare, and usually only in the hands of the super-rich. Maps, also a significant source of information, were held in vaults because of their value. when looking at your data, there are a few things that you need to think about when you are talking about your data
Computers and Big Data
With the advent of computers, we have been able to tap into a resource more effectively than we have before. Big Data. With the Computer doing most of the heavy lifting for us, Corporations can take the tsunami of data that was at their disposal previously and be able to do something with it. With our ability to reach people on so much more of a global scale, getting out the information we want to and getting data back has never been easier. The trick now is knowing what information to keep and what to toss overboard. This is where a combination of Artificial Intelligence and good ol’ human know-how comes into play. A.I. Can skirt through the massive amounts of data and reach certain conclusions, but how those conclusions are applied is still up to the people who are running the data.
So much more info
On a personal level, there is more information that we are exposed to on a larger scale than ever before. It’s becoming more and more challenging to know what to pay attention to. It’s essential, therefore to try your best to pick your sources. Certainly, there are news channels, and feeds, books and (of course) bloggers whom you trust to get your information from. What you need to remember is that paying attention to too many sources of information can be (o an individual level) hard to do. ON a corporate level they can have (depending on their size of course) a few people looking through the data they use, or teams of people. The point is that whether you are working for a big company or just scrolling through your Newsfeed, your ability to access data and information. It is far greater than it ever has been before. With so much data out there, you need to develop the skills to take in the information that will help you in your day-to-day life. It is equally important to disregard that information which will not.
More of the same
Here is the real trick about big data. It’s useful to large organizations of people, Corporations, universities, governments that kind of thing. Big data cannot be used effectively by individuals because there is too much to process. 90% of the time, most people will be getting their information and forming their opinions in much the same was we always have. Talking with friends and family, reading what material we can, and eventually making up their own minds about what they want to believe. Although there is quite a bit more information available, you need to be able to pick and choose what information you take in daily.
Information is now perceived to be at a premium now because it is seen as being held in a place where “bad guys” can gain access to it. The fact of the matter is that at any period of history if bad guys were willing to try to get to your data, they could probably figure out a way to get to it. You bury your files in the backyard; the bad guys will buy a shovel. Keep your data in the cloud; the bad guys will try and phish the information from you. Over the next few weeks, I’m going to be talking to you about internet security and what you can do to protect your digital life. I want to make sure of something from the start. I’m not doing this to try and scare you. The threats out there are real, but ignoring or staying ignorant of them will not make them go away. It’s important to arm yourself with as much knowledge so that you can see what it is you need to do to protect your data.
If you would like to read the original article you can access it here.
What do you think of all the information that’s out there?
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