elearnspace

Meaning is found in associations. It’s simple concept, but has substantial implications. To get an accurate picture of “something”, context first needs to be understood. This short video – can’t squeeze knowledge from a pixel – summarizes this point. An email address, for example, means very little unless we see it in a broader context and in light of associations formed between the address and other entities. Nothing new about that. However, information connectedness raises privacy and ethical concerns. Should my doctor know my credit rating? My driving record? Should the government be able to get complete, integrated access to all my data (remember Total Information Awareness?). Spaces and barriers between data are important – only what is required for a particular context should be known to banker/government/doctor/lawyer/employer. However, and this is a significant concern, participation on the open web is increasing data accessibility. An employer can’t ask a potential employee her/his age. But that information is freely available on Facebook (often). An employer can’t ask about health concerns. But, again, that information can often be gleaned through Twitter, blogging, and Facebook status updates.