Masses of Data

As new technology has made it easier to share information, the amount of data that we have available to us has grown exponentially.  This is a great thing, which also presents unique challenges.  Two important questions are how do we make it possible for people to find the data that’s most relevant to them, and how do we avoid error and duplication?  The first question is being addressed by amazing search engines.  A multi-billion dollar industry has grown up around providing relevant searches.  The second question is being addressed by crowd sourcing.  Wikipedia has proven that reliable information can be maintained by the masses.  These solutions that help us deal with huge amounts of data provide interesting possibilities. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and others are currently implementing these techniques to record and link personal records to fill in the entire family tree of humankind.  Just think of it!  Billions and billions of people will be able to trace their family histories back to the dawn of time.