Data shelf-life forcing better etiquette

The data never goes away. As this scholar notes, its more expensive to delete data than allow it to exist in cyberspace.

Certainly there are disadvantages to the long shelf-life of digital info:

• Status posts/tweets sent out of anger/hate/temporary stupidity/etc
• A forever living email from angry student to angry professor, likely destroying professional connections for one/both parties (or maybe not, i don't know)
• Private sexting messages from naive youths circulated everywhere

On the other hand, this finality and forever-ness of information might better regulate our behavior in this new age of openness. We're certainly learning as we go, but maybe people will be more careful in how they act behind closed doors, forcing more honesty. Imagine parents getting more involved in teaching their kids the consequences of messing up, digitally and otherwise. Or just in general people being more civil to each other for fear of the long-term consequences? I know I've deleted-rather-than-sent some angry emails which could've caused me problems if forwarded to the wrong hands...

Other ideas on the advantages of long-term accountability of your digital contributions?

Information Democracy Brings Out Crotchetyness

Web 2.0, the internet, wikis, blogs, social networking...these are scaring academics/professionals with jobs.

Technology is changing, and simultaneously, traditional experts' hold on information has fizzled. Some are speaking out against the mediums that threaten their elite status, suggesting they lack credibility. Yet they make some poor arguments:

1. Because someone has published papers and has degrees, their statements are correct. Younger less-experienced people's arguments are inherently incorrect due to their resume. Counter: Let the best argument win, regardless of the source. The next recognized expert probably doesn't have any credentials yet anyway.
2. Blogs and wikis lack verity because they are mostly written by teens and amateurs? Counter: What blogs are you reading? I can't think of a single popular blog on a professional subject maintained by teenager writing poorly and incoherently.

I say let the best man win regardless of who they are. Free market liberalism for ideas and expertise. (Here, let Adam Smith explain it to you since I'm just an amateur) Some subjects might not need a PhD and years of professional expertise in order to come up with a solution. Why not diversify the conversation?

An example: My friend went to the hospital with extreme abdominal pain. His girlfriend googled his symptoms, and the two were pretty convinced it was a kidney stone (ouch). They arrived in the ER, and after explaining all the symptoms, could the doctor figure it out? No. Not until his girlfriend said, "could it be a kidney stone?" Now, sure, doctors aren't replaceable, and this wasn't a bad doctor per say. But did the girlfriend need framed degrees in order to diagnose my friend? No. But by participating she got the process going (pain meds).

Info democracy in action.