The prediction, in brief:

Personifying the agent – I think we’re going to see a lot of that. It’s an interesting idea: Whose filter do you want to view the Net through?

Predictor: Basch, Reva

Prediction, in context:

In a 1995 article for Wired magazine, John Whalen interviews Reva Basch, author of “Secrets of the Super Searchers” and a professional independent searcher, an information-age librarian who data-surfs for clients, seeking out specific information. Whalen quotes Basch saying:”Paul Saffo made the really good point that the next salable commodity in cyberspace is going to be point of view, in which you subscribe to an intelligent agent whose interests and points of view map yours. You say, ‘OK, Rush Limbaugh knowbot,’ or ‘OK, Ralph Nader knowbot, go out there and get me stuff from the Net that you think is important.’ Personifying the agent – I think we’re going to see a lot of that. It’s an interesting idea: Whose filter do you want to view the Net through?”

Biography:

Reva Basch became a professional independent “searcher” in the 1990s, seeking out specific information online for clients. She also wrote the book “Secrets of the Super Searchers.” (Entrepreneur/Business Leader.)

Date of prediction: January 1, 1995

Topic of prediction: Getting, Sharing Information

Subtopic: General

Name of publication: Wired

Title, headline, chapter name: Super Searcher: Cybrarian Reva Basch is the Ultimate Intelligent Agent

Quote Type: Direct quote

Page number or URL of document at time of study:
http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.05/searcher_pr.html

This data was logged into the Elon/Pew Predictions Database by: Anderson, Janna Quitney