There is more information available in the world than any one person could hope to consume (hundreds of exabytes of data), but most of that information is uninteresting, out of date, inaccurate, or not relevant for you. The key to reducing information overload is to more efficiently find the data you want among the information that you don't care about.

In a hard-knuckled, free-market economy built on competition, the most successful Internet companies put a high stake in another value: cooperation.

"Council of Advisors Play is a newly expanding knowledge domain and the National Institute for Play sees itself as a student in this emerging field. We are maximizing our opportunities to learn - and to spread what we learn - by networking with a extensive and growing cadre of scientific experts and professional practitioners of Play. Together, they constitute the NIFP Council of Advisors, chaired by Stanford Professor and neuroscientist, Dr. Stuart Thompson."

we were interested in the potential of networks-to create stronger bonds or to split us apart. This essay highlights groups that are creatively connecting citizens who are making a difference today, and explores how technology might impact public participation and leadership in the future. The pages are rich with useful examples and lessons about how networks are unlocking assets in communities to support open government, care for the elderly, help disaster victims and advance women's rights. Throughout, the report considers the role philanthropy can play in harnessing the best network-centric practices, the ones that might unleash individual interactivity to achieve social impact at a scale and speed never before possible.