Age of Information Vulnerability, The

Information Management Journal, May/Jun 2005

A Message from the Editors

Managing records and information these days isn't easy. In fact, with electronic records, vast databases, and stringent government regulations, records and information management professionals have never been more challenged.

And then there are the now all-too-frequent database breaches in which the most private information about thousands of consumers has been stolen, lost, or otherwise compromised, exposing them to identity theft on a grand scale. Just last month, LexisNexis admitted that 310,000 consumers - not the 32,000 it had first reported - were affected by a computer breach. Indeed, it seems managing records and information has become one of the most challenging professions on earth.

In these times, it is also one of the most important professions, whether corporations recognize it or not.

This issue of The Information Management Journal tackles some of the most difficult issues that records managers and other professionals face on a daily basis.

In their article, "Creating Order out of Chaos with Taxonomies," Susan K. Cisco, Ph.D., CRM, FAI, and Wanda K. Jackson, Ph.D., explain that, because more than 90 percent of new business records are created electronically - yes, 90 percent! - companies everywhere face a deluge of mostly unstructured digital data, documents, e-mail, and instant messages that raise serious retention, storage, and accessibility challenges. No wonder companies mismanage information so frequently. Fortunately, there is a solution. Cisco and Jackson explain how taxonomies can help corporations organize, retrieve, and access their records effectively and efficiently.

Information is highly mobile these days, a reality that can lead to information mismanagement and breaches in any company that allows its employees to work away from the office. In "Who Owns Business Data on Personally Owned Computers?" John C. Montaña, J.D., tackles questions that certainly concern anyone who works from home: What rights do employers have to access the content in an employee-owned computer, and what expectation of privacy do employees have to personal information on their employer-owned computer? Montana analyzes court cases as well as U.S. and Canadian laws related to rights of access to such data. If you ever work at home (or if you allow your employees to do so), you won't want to skip this article.

According to author Randolph A. Kahn, Esq., corporate information practices are woefully lacking and increasing volumes of electronic data are "ubiquitously mismanaged" by companies in almost every industry. In "Stand & Deliver," he explains why now is the time for records managers to step up and meet the challenges that face their companies. Today, he writes, executives are paying more attention and allotting more funds for records and information management programs, but this attention won't last forever. Kahn's article informs and inspires; make copies to share with your colleagues.

Managing information gets harder each day. Companies rarely get attention for managing their information well, but when companies mismanage their records, it most likely will make national news. How do companies manage their information well and stay out of the headlines? A few good records managers and a smart records management program can make all the difference.