The Difference between Information and Intelligence - Report Example

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN INFORMATION AND INTELLIGENCE Student Name: University: Lecturer: The Difference between Information and Intelligence There is a tendency of using information and intelligence interchangeably. Although in some contexts these two words deserve this interchangeable use, from a technical perspective they are two different words with distinct definitions. In the field of computer technology, it is imperative that these two words are accorded distinct definitions as without it there is a great chance of confusion and distortion. However, in as much as these two words may be different, there certainly are commonalities in meaning that may be forcing a significant section of the public to use them interchangeably. The current paper seeks to outline the commonalities and differences between these two terms. It is also an objective of the current paper to explain the applicability of these words both in and out of the field of computer technology. Before analyzing the proper definitions of these two words, it is critical that the commonalities in them are stated. This will help in evading any controversies that may hinder the effective communication held in the current paper. In this regard, the first commonality regards to data. Both information and intelligence are characterized with the processing of data. Data is defined as raw figures that do not have any meaning but may be meaningful upon processing. Therefore, for intelligence and information to attain there intended meaning they ought to have been initiated a process of analyzing and decoding data. The other commonality is that they both need to be disseminated to an intended audience lest they fail to meet their full meaning. For instance, information and intelligence can only make sense to a specific group of the entire population. The upcoming section outlines the differences both in meaning and applicability between the two words. Information can be described as materials obtained from communication, observation and general reports. It normally becomes intelligence when it is collected and interpreted by intelligent analysts in a systematic manner, and it can now be included in intelligence products. It is important to note that all disoriented and hazardous information cannot be classified as intelligence since such information cannot be accurately categorized as intelligence as a result of the bureaucracies involved in scrutiny of information before it can be termed as intelligent. On the other hand, intelligence results from logical intellectual systems, often known as intelligence cycle, that comes up with original actionable knowledge aimed at: Desire to establish the credible information, Bringing linkages and importance with other information sources, Developing a clear channel and system of action, and Use the channel/system to achieve the desired objectives or goals. Information analysis is the backbone that connects problems, responses and links into a reliable strategy for intelligent officers and other information stakeholders. Effective intelligence therefore, acts as a basis upon which policies and laws are established. Additionally, the basic responsibility of intelligence is to come up with information necessary for stakeholders to make the necessary decisions. Equally, information acts as a way for obtaining data. It is transmitted through indirect or direct observation or as a kind of message content. Whatever is observable can be interpreted as a message, in other words, content of a message is normally interpreted as a message. It can be interpreted through various channels of transmission and interpreted differently by its recipients. Information also operates within a system of uncertainty unlike intelligence which involves thorough interpretation of each and every aspect of message obtained. On the other hand, intelligence involves the ability to perceive and comprehend what is available. It is a skill that involves finding out and researching on a specific issue and interpreting the information obtained. For instance, artificial intelligence, a computer science branch, aims at creating, designing and studying intelligent agents where the agent perceives the environment while acting on chances that maximize success. Ideally, information acts as unevaluated content of every kind, channel thorough unique methods and from different sources. Any content that is obtained through normal senses is normally classified as information. It can be false, incomplete or irrelevant and sometimes true, complete and relevant. This implies that information is purely unrefined kind of communication material which does not have any kind of control over it. Conversely, information that can be used and sometimes ready to be acted upon is referred to as intelligence since it has been verified and offered by a multiple sources that are considered credible. It is evaluated by intelligent experts before it is deemed important to be acted upon by the relevant stakeholders. Intelligence is mainly used to formulate policy and plans by organizations. It usually contains information that prompts institutions and government agencies to trigger their capabilities and identify vulnerabilities in case of threats given the prevailing situation. Intelligence collected by spies is known as human intelligence, that obtained by machines is referred to as signal intelligence and intelligence obtained by imagery for example satellites is called imagery intelligence. Unlike information which can be widely collected from any source, each intelligence method has its unique collection platform. These collection platforms are actively and securing controlled by various governments due to their sensitive and critical nature. Any kind of intelligence gathered by either organizations or the government has some kind of potential relevance to the parties involved. This ranges from cyber security, terrorism, drug trafficking and disease out breaks. Therefore for intelligence to have any true meaning, information collected should be analyzed and evaluated accordingly. It is more important than ever to realize that intelligence experts have a paramount tool to help maintain sanctity of information and alert any parties involved before problems occur. Intelligence remains one of the key assets used to maintain the safety of several societal aspects. Unlike information which is ideally skewed and requires endless interpretations, intelligence is important in enabling decision makers make the right choices of what is important in organizations. It makes it makes it easier for organizations to identify treats and any impeding challenges thereby responding in a timely manner. Another difference between information and intelligence lies on the fact information is ideally raw data; this means that more often than not action cannot be taken based on raw data. Intelligence can therefore be termed as a component that raw data into something meaningful. In national security circles and the military, the term intelligence cycle, a process through which intelligence is established is usually used. Information is turned into intelligence through this process. Therefore, unlike information, intelligence is something that can be used to make decisions and in addition to that, decisions are deliberated upon it. Most agencies confuse between information and intelligence since they normally employ analysts who are either untrained in analysis or simply unaware of the requirements of both disciplines. The analysts are merely concerned with collecting and disseminating just raw and unrefined data. More precisely, ability to search databases is sometimes considered enough for organizations and other law enforcement agencies. It has been realized that in several occasions mostly before an imminent attack either on an organizations` systems or even governments, information regarding search incidences is usually available. Mainly collected and stored but it misses meaningful analysis that could otherwise make it useful to decision makers and stakeholders. It is worthwhile to note that of late, law enforcement agencies and organizations are slowly undergoing transformation and in the process recognizing that simple information is totally different from intelligence. They now understand that it is imperative to analyze information properly so that it can be easily understood. It is also believed that governments have established intelligence systems since it is understood that without it, detecting any form of security threats will be a milestone. It can therefore be postulated that it is with a clear and elaborate analytical processes that the society can ideally explore the collection and the aspects of information that can bring out the true meaning of intelligence. Unlike information, intelligence can help support law enforcement endeavors and national security at large. Security intelligence is used in supporting decision making processes in various organizations. It is aimed at stability of the society in terms of political, social, economic and military challenges. In order to achieve the goal of a reliable, secure and seamless information exchange system, establishing a knowledge base for organizations and government that intelligent officers can rely has proved to be challenging. The most critical and fundamental challenge that hinders expansion of intelligence function in organizations and the government is the failure to recognize the value of intelligence capacity and the lack of the meaningful resources to filter information accordingly. An organization or agency that does not perceive the potential benefit and understanding of intelligence is set to face numerous hurdles. In the modern society, attention is being given to intelligence and in consequence, a tremendous utilization of intelligence in various agencies has been realized. In this scenario, small and medium enterprises have equally appreciated their contribution towards enhancing national intelligence. With certain kinds of intelligence, agencies are able to enjoy effectiveness and efficiency that arises from quick and timely response towards societal issues. Immediately after organizations commit themselves in intelligence activities, technical and resource allocation challenges need to be addressed. In the modern society, computer databases standardized for information sharing and intelligence analysis have been established. In view of the above, it can also be noted that it is now important for organizations to conduct regular computer system checks so as to protect computer networks from unlawful access. This cannot be achieved without carrying out thorough intelligence and analysis of the available information. It should be equally noted that in order for intelligence agencies to be ahead of the pack, they should be ready to accept the difficult questions concerning information sharing and any other intelligence systems in the modern society. Scrupulous attention and legal oversight over sharing of intelligence needs to be regulated so as to ensure that certain security parameters are not breached. In recent studies, researchers have noted a unique dichotomy between the need for privacy and the general public perception of intelligence. Majority of members in the society are support intelligence initiatives since it provides some kind of assurance that their personal interests are being taken into consideration. In other scenarios, civil libertarians have also called for intelligence and greater security in general but still doubt its efficacy. Nevertheless, civil rights groups sometimes do not understand data retention requirements therefore usually getting it wrong in case of cheap intelligence like sensitive records on juveniles. Sometimes modern advancement in intelligence may expose the society into the danger of walking into a silently surveillance society which may end up depriving individuals of their own right to privacy. Intelligence surveillance may be well intentioned and might bring benefits which may be desirable and necessary. For instance, the fight against heinous crime and terrorism, improving access to private and public services but, uncontrolled and unseen surveillance may establish suspicious conditions and undermine the trust in members of the society. This may be one of the most challenging aspects of uncontrolled intelligence. The dilemma lies on the fact that in the modern society individuals strongly anticipates and search for surveillance and intelligence for known activities like crime and terrorism fighting, but there is always the unavoidable suspicion of things getting out of control. Therefore, given the several advantages that come along with an up to standard intelligence system, the benefits that define this aspect in the society outweigh the weaknesses by far. The only debate that should be tabled in the modern age is how intelligence systems and experts at large can be given more powers and resources so that they can help solve some of the thorny societal issues that may lapse from a lack of a functional intelligence system. In conclusion, information and further refining it into intelligence is a very paramount aspect of effective governance in organizations and government. It has acquired reputation through the nature of operations it undergoes through and in the process keeping up with the changing time and societal requirements. Therefore, the role of information and intelligence in the society cannot be underestimated. References Bidgoli, H. (2006). Handbook of Information Security, Information Warfare, Social, Legal, and International Issues and Security Foundations (Vol. 2). John Wiley & Sons. Carter, David L. (2004). Law Enforcement Intelligence: A Guide for State, Local and Tribal Law Enforcement Agencies. Washington, DC: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services. Carment, D., & Rudner, M. (Eds.). (2007). Peacekeeping intelligence: new players, extended boundaries. Routledge. Davenport, T. H. (2010). Business intelligence and organizational decisions.International Journal of Business Intelligence Research (IJBIR), 1(1), 1-12. Hamlen, K., Kantarcioglu, M., Khan, L., & Thuraisingham, B. (2010). Security issues for cloud computing. International Journal of Information Security and Privacy (IJISP), 4(2), 36-48. Jones, C. (2007). Intelligence reform: The logic of information sharing. Intelligence and National Security, 22(3), 384-401. Luo, X., Brody, R., Seazzu, A., & Burd, S. (2011). Social engineering: the neglected human factor for information security management. Information Resources Management Journal (IRMJ), 24(3), 1-8. National Criminal Intelligence Sharing Plan. (2004). Washington, DC: Office of Justice Programs. Walt, S. M. (1991). The renaissance of security studies. International Studies Quarterly, 211-239. Zins, C. (2007). Classification schemes of Information Science: Twenty‐eight scholars map the field. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 58(5), 645-672. Read More

Equally, information acts as a way for obtaining data. It is transmitted through indirect or direct observation or as a kind of message content. Whatever is observable can be interpreted as a message, in other words, content of a message is normally interpreted as a message. It can be interpreted through various channels of transmission and interpreted differently by its recipients. Information also operates within a system of uncertainty unlike intelligence which involves thorough interpretation of each and every aspect of message obtained.

On the other hand, intelligence involves the ability to perceive and comprehend what is available. It is a skill that involves finding out and researching on a specific issue and interpreting the information obtained. For instance, artificial intelligence, a computer science branch, aims at creating, designing and studying intelligent agents where the agent perceives the environment while acting on chances that maximize success. Ideally, information acts as unevaluated content of every kind, channel thorough unique methods and from different sources.

Any content that is obtained through normal senses is normally classified as information. It can be false, incomplete or irrelevant and sometimes true, complete and relevant. This implies that information is purely unrefined kind of communication material which does not have any kind of control over it. Conversely, information that can be used and sometimes ready to be acted upon is referred to as intelligence since it has been verified and offered by a multiple sources that are considered credible.

It is evaluated by intelligent experts before it is deemed important to be acted upon by the relevant stakeholders. Intelligence is mainly used to formulate policy and plans by organizations. It usually contains information that prompts institutions and government agencies to trigger their capabilities and identify vulnerabilities in case of threats given the prevailing situation. Intelligence collected by spies is known as human intelligence, that obtained by machines is referred to as signal intelligence and intelligence obtained by imagery for example satellites is called imagery intelligence.

Unlike information which can be widely collected from any source, each intelligence method has its unique collection platform. These collection platforms are actively and securing controlled by various governments due to their sensitive and critical nature. Any kind of intelligence gathered by either organizations or the government has some kind of potential relevance to the parties involved. This ranges from cyber security, terrorism, drug trafficking and disease out breaks. Therefore for intelligence to have any true meaning, information collected should be analyzed and evaluated accordingly.

It is more important than ever to realize that intelligence experts have a paramount tool to help maintain sanctity of information and alert any parties involved before problems occur. Intelligence remains one of the key assets used to maintain the safety of several societal aspects. Unlike information which is ideally skewed and requires endless interpretations, intelligence is important in enabling decision makers make the right choices of what is important in organizations. It makes it makes it easier for organizations to identify treats and any impeding challenges thereby responding in a timely manner.

Another difference between information and intelligence lies on the fact information is ideally raw data; this means that more often than not action cannot be taken based on raw data. Intelligence can therefore be termed as a component that raw data into something meaningful. In national security circles and the military, the term intelligence cycle, a process through which intelligence is established is usually used. Information is turned into intelligence through this process. Therefore, unlike information, intelligence is something that can be used to make decisions and in addition to that, decisions are deliberated upon it.

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