Information systems, and the subsequent shaing of data between them, have become increasingly important to the government. Amid terrorism and other threats on the horizon, the federal government will likely have to create one platform for all agencies to share data, according to experts interviewed by Baseline, even though it makes a few of them squirm. According to Darwin John, former chief information officer of the FBI, "Information management could be the largest issue ever undertaken by the government with regards to policy and values."

Under this singular platform scenario, information from a bevy of agencies ranging from the FBI to the Department of Defense to the Department of Agriculture would be consolidated in one data warehouse to present a composite of information. All the agencies would need common data definitions so the composite would be consistent. Business intelligence software would highlight trends and analyze the data.

Privacy advocates can rest easy for now. The government is in no position to create such a data warehouse, experts say, either politically or technologically. But steps are being taken. An effort dubbed the Federal Enterprise Architecture and several recent federal initiatives (for example, the Department of Homeland Security's US-VISIT), are seen as baby steps towards e-government. Whether these moves represent the beginning of proactive information sharing remains to be seen.

Experts suggest a three-step plan for taking control of federal data and increasing the effectiveness of wars on terror, disease, drugs, and other social ills:

1) Create a cabinet-level Office of Information Management which is:

• Empowered to force FEA compliance, unlike the existing OMB
• Responsible for standardizing technology across agencies

2) Share Mandates:

• Amend agency charters to include information-management and sharing
• Mandate data-sharing rules

3) Build a Fort Knox for Data:

• Create a national data warehouse