Industry web site tackles information overload

InfoRiskAwareness is designed to help firms cope with the rising flood of data

A consortium of IT companies, legal firms and other organisations has launched a web site designed to help UK businesses better understand the risks associated with the growth of information.

InfoRiskAwareness provides information such as news, blogs, Q&As, whitepapers and newsletters to help promote "a better understanding of the risks associated with electronic information".

Craig Carpenter, marketing vice president at information management vendor Recommind, the company behind the project, explained that the content covers compliance, disclosure, confidentiality management and cloud computing.

"The amount of information is growing all the time, and if firms don't get a handle on this they could well face problems in the future. People in the business community are already getting into trouble by not addressing these issues," he said.

Carpenter added that the site will disseminate information from a range of angles and professional bodies to provide a useful and relevant way to understand the risks.

There is a growing level of understanding among IT staff, Carpenter added, but those at the highest level have yet to be convinced of the importance of addressing this issue and setting budget aside.

Other companies involved in the site include legal compliance firm Exterro, risk management software firm IntApp and law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse. The project is also active on Twitter and LinkedIn.