Prepare for personal data boom, users told

New sources of data, cheap storage and faster processing will lead the coming explosion of personal data, experts at Accenture's technology labs have said.

In turn, new systems will have to evolve to deal with the increase in the amount of information available, according to Accenture's Karl Boettcher.

Within five years sensors will be so small and pervasive that they will be seen as "smart dust", researchers predict. And customer relationship management systems and new technologies such as biometric and radio frequency identity tags are adding to the amount of information available.

But individuals will have to take greater responsibility for information about themselves, said Boettcher. At the moment all this data is held by companies and government agencies.

"Information stores will become individual rather than held by companies. We are turning the value chain around," he said.

"Most people don't even realise they should assert their information rights."

At the start of the industrial revolution in England, workers had few rights, but after a period of time new institutions and legal protection were developed as a result of new technologies.

Boettcher predicted the same thing is likely to happen as the importance of information increases. "I think you will see the same thing now," he said.