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Chris Evans
Joined: Mar 1, 2003
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Info Glut - Too much of a good thing?
August 6, 2003 - 12:07 PM
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The world today is flooded with increasing amounts of information and data. ICT's and digital technology in particular have contributed to this incredible rise in the production of information throughout the world.
In his book "The Ingenuity Gap", University of Toronto professor Thomas Homer-Dixon refers to these vast amounts of data as the "info glut", and argues that improved forms of communication and data production may actually be hindering our ability to produce meaningful, high-quality solutions to the problems effecting our societies.
I found this study by the School of Information Management Systems at Berkley (http://www.sims.berkeley.edu/research/projects/how-much-info/summary.html). The study attempts to quantify the amount of unique information produced every year, a number they estimate to be between 1 and 2 exabytes of data; roughly 250 megabytes for every human being on earth.
Is all this data really necessary? Does the increase in information we are exposed to in our day-to-day lives really effect our ability to concentrate and address what's important? Does it compromise our face-to-face social interactions?
Perhaps most importantly, will--as Thomas Homer-Dixon suggests--this info glut inevitably bring about the overload and destruction of ICT's?
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Simon Moss
Joined: May 7, 2002
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Filter
August 7, 2003 - 03:36 AM
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I think information glut could be huge problem ... and I think that the solution lies in developing more effective ways for people and technology to filter this information. Metadata holds the key to us using information more effectively; knowing information about the information.
Just like the Dewey system for books categorises books by topic with a number, the metadata in electronic information needs to be constructed and used so that people can filter information to get what is most relevant to them.
Here's hoping.
Mossy
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Nora Martin
Joined: Oct 8, 2003
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Information Overload
October 8, 2003 - 01:11 AM
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The Internet and ICT's have contributed to the phenomena known as 'Information Overload', colloquially known as 'Info glut'. We are constantly bombarded with information today, via radio, television and the Internet. It's even hard to escape the constant ring of mobile phones everywhere you go. There seems to be no peace and tranquility anymore - you need to go out of mobile phone range in order to achieve this!
Regarding the social interaction aspect - the Internet and mobile phones have altered the way we communicate - most definately! We can now get information from our home (via the Internet), so the need to visit our local library to access this information in diminishing. Let's hope this doesn't mean the demise in this valuable community resource. Communication via PC and mobile phone has not replaced face-to-face communication, rather this is another avenue of interaction that is now available. Face-to-face communication is valuable - and can now be achieved with the new mobile phone technology (digital imaging technology!). Still, communicating in person (rather than via an ICT) will never be fully replaced, as this is the best way of getting your message across.
Knowing how to sift through the information available to you, whether it's via the Internet or any other means, is necessary in order to avoid the 'info glut' problem. Certain criteria need to be applied when surfing the net - checking for accuracy, relevance, currency & being able to verify the credentials of the author: all these aspects need to be covered in order to get the most useful information that you are looking for.
'Info glut' needn't be a problem if we all are aware of the tools we need to help avoid it!
Cheers!
Nora, Anna and Jessie
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