We Are What We Know - Plausible Deniability Not Applicable to Information Management

There once was a time when leaders— both political and business— had the option of hiding behind the phrase, “plausible deniability.” The issues associated with “you-can’t-blame-me-I-didn’t-know” dominated public discourse during the Watergate scandal [1972-1975] which ended with the resignation of President Nixon. The 1994 movie Clear and Present Danger may be viewed as a turning point in information management history when most in the mainstream changed their mental model and came to the conclusion— there are no secrets. In this film, Harrison Ford plays acting CIA chief Jack Ryan who had unknowingly perjured himself when he testified to Congress that no manpower would be deployed in the war against drugs. In this film, Greg Germann [he played Fish in Ally McBeal] exposed Jack-and-Jane moviegoers to the concept of computer security for the first time.

In the year 2035, each and every one of us will have our info-management duties unambiguously laid out for us. Each of us will have taken an oath—information management—wise. There will be consequences associated with the decisions we make and the behaviors we employ around information management. The days of plausible deniability will be behind us. Information crimes—withholding information, changing information, misrepresenting information, and not being aware of information will no longer be tolerated.

Are You Info-Efficient? Are Your Tools Smart Enough?
Sociologists have observed that as information management (access, usage, distribution, and storage) become more important parts of our identity we will spend more time on them. A recent set of studies have emerged documenting a “crowding out” phenomena (i.e., because more time is being spent on the Internet, or on the cell phone or with the video game—less time is being spent on other activities like doing household chores, spending time with family members and friends, watching TV, reading, etc.).

Several coping behaviors have been observed and commented upon. Some have simply cut back on sleep. The rise of hyper-caffeinated beverages among the most connected cohort may be a supporting indicator. Others have consciously opted out of certain activities. The high performers have evolved/are evolving highly efficient personalized information management skill sets. These are the folks to watch.

One of those skills is automating some base level information management tasks. In a word—getting machines to carry some of the burden. Just as animals helped in the heavy living in the physical or atom-denominated world, so too must thinking machines—devices approximating human-level A.I. help us process and manage all this information.
Efficient information filters—connected to the right sources, obtained and operated at the right cost, with appropriate security, storage, and backup will define the successful post-information age human.

One of the most obvious but yet not fully internalized lessons from the Age of BIG information we are now living in is that people DO judge you based on your digital/ informational persona. The news weeklies have been full of stories of earnest young job seekers who have been denied the job of their dreams because the employer discovered unsavory info-bits on applicant blogs and social networking sites.

Benjamin Disraeli, British prime minister, favorite of Queen Victoria believed that, “As a general rule, the most successful man in life is the man who has the best information. In 2035, the most successful person will be the best information manager.”

Thornton May (tamay@fccj.edu) is an AIIM Fellow, futurist, and executive director and Dean at the IT Leadership Academy. Originally printed in AIIM E-Doc Magazine.