When More Information Isn't a Good Thing

Carl Bialik from the WSJ writes "'Most of the time, speedier, cheaper information allows the economy to produce more from less, often by eliminating mistakes, cutting wasted effort and shrinking doubt,' David Wessel writes in the Wall Street Journal. But better information through technology has a downside; sometimes, efficiency benefits certain players to the detriment of society. One example Wessel cites: software that tells patent litigants which courts have the most favorable historical record for their side. 'It doesn't help the economy produce more goods or services. It creates nothing of beauty or pleasure,' he writes. 'It simply helps someone get a bigger slice of the pie.'"

Comments

Welcome to planet Earth

[Jamu]

'It doesn't help the economy produce more goods or services. It creates nothing of beauty or pleasure,' he writes. 'It simply helps someone get a bigger slice of the pie.'

Welcome to planet Earth.

This is along the lines of

[bhadreshl]

'Knowledge is Power' vs 'Ignorance is Bliss'

Software is a tool.

[Anonymous Coward]

The problem lies with the court system and the patent office.

Re:Software is a tool.

[thebdj]

Actually point more toward the court system. With the exception of the Federal Circuit and SCOTUS most courts have a horrible misunderstanding of patent law and the patent process as a whole. And pointing blame at the USPTO? Of course that gets modded Insightful instead of offtopic or trolling, cause after all hating the PTO is cool thing to do on slashdot.

Not unique to information

[chill]

This issue isn't unique to information. Kitchen knives make nice tools for cutting up dinner...or the neighbor's cat. The entire concept of "significant non-infringing uses" is the foundation for the legality of such devices as ubiquitous as the VCR, CD/DVD recorder, TiVO and photo copy machine.

"The sword cuts both ways" is a phrase that was invented long before the information age.

Easy access to large amounts of information has benefits to society that vastly outweigh the detriments.

  -Charles

Information as a tool

[kevin_conaway]

I'm sure someone applied the same argument to guns when they were first invented (well actually, people STILL do).

Its a tool and it can be used for good or bad purposes. The good almost always outweighs the bad.

Misplaced blame

[Dachannien]

One example Wessel cites: software that tells patent litigants which courts have the most favorable historical record for their side.

That seems like an issue with the ability of litigants to go forum shopping in the first place (a problem with the judicial system), rather than the fault of information and processing tools.

Re:Wrong

[L. VeGas]

Everything about the article's premise is simply incorrect. One of the main reasons that transparent and fluid dissemination of information is good is that it more readily allows for review. If the courts have been producing skewed decisions based on arbitrary results, well then, let's see it! Open the doors, and shine the light on the subject. Hopefully, some self-review will occur.

The "problem" is not too much information, it's too limited availability of information. It's the advantage gained by those who wish to disallow others from having it. In war, it's necessary. In political and government operations, it's anathema.

The other, obvious advantage of ready access to information is increasing the fluidity of the economy. It helps to level the playing field. Instead of over-reliance on PR and advertising, businesses and consumers can make more informed decisions.