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is to follow the MBAs lead. In fact, social bookmarking is an innovative means of providing this type of shared knowledge pool. The concept can be applied as generally or specifically as desired. Let's take information technology, as an example. You can divide it up into various categories: hardware, software, communications, design, and so on. Each of these categories can be broken down to various topics. If you want to keep generally abreast of information technology in general, you would develop a group or network of contacts that specialize in specific areas of interest. Each "expert" or specialist would be responsible for researching their area thoroughly to find accurate, reliable, and complete information. This information would then be stored in some easily accessible knowledge base.

Social bookmarking provides powerful new ways to both collaborate with individuals while creating a body of trusted knowledge. The key is to build a reliable network and maintain it. Somehow, without being oppressive, peer review and auditing are required to ensure that data is accurate. These processes have been used in the academic community for years and are an underlying assumption in Web 2.0 applications. The opportunity is there for the taking.

Admittedly, these ideas are not new or particularly innovative. However, with the perceptions of media bias and, worse still, reports of tampering within the new collaborative applications like Wikipedia, the need for accurate and reliable information is increasingly apparent. I'm just adding another voice to the chorus of people who recognize the problems. I believe we have the tools and we need to use them. We all stand to lose or gain from this need for good, reliable information.

Learn more about this author, Mark Dykeman.
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