Who owns the information?

Own, control, use and misuse.

That’s the story about information.

When search engines like Google, Yahoo and Micorsoft open new vistas of information access on the wagon of Information Technology, many feel the repercussions.

On one hand they indicate an era of ‘Information Democracy’, on the other hand many feel threatened by the possible fallout.

That’s obvious as neither the nature of the information nor the technology by which it is generated and disseminated is neutral.

They serve the intentions and interests of those who own them.

Hence, it is understandable when Google agrees to meet the censored conditions of Chinese government in its Chinese language version of its search engine.

On March 9, 2006 the Government of India told Parliament that steps had been taken to mask some areas of the imagery from Google Earth website that were causing concerns.

Whether such initiatives yield the desire result is yet to be seen.

The debate about the ‘right information’ and ‘rights on information’ is secondary.

The struggle is to own it.