--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Over the years, online, we've laid down a…" description: "\"Over the years, online, we've laid down a huge amount of information and data, and we irrigate it with networks and connectivity, and it's been worked ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/david-mccandless-19293_amount_over-the-years-online-we-ve-laid-down-a_728759.jpg" --- # Over the years, online, we've laid down a huge amount of… ![“Over the years, online, we've laid down a huge amount of information and data, and we irrigate it with networks and connectivity, and it's been worked and tilled by unpaid workers and governments.” quote by David McCandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/david-mccandless-19293_amount_over-the-years-online-we-ve-laid-down-a_728759.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/david-mccandless-19293_amount_over-the-years-online-we-ve-laid-down-a_728759.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb7/david-mccandless-19293_amount_over-the-years-online-we-ve-laid-down-a_728759.jpg) > “Over the years, online, we've laid down a huge amount of information and data, and we irrigate it with networks and connectivity, and it's been worked and tilled by unpaid workers and governments.” [David McCandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccandless/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We have amassed massive data, cultivated by networks and unpaid contributors, creating a rich but uneven knowledge landscape. **In simple terms:** Huge data built by many hands. Key Takeaway Recognize and value the collective effort behind data. Themes data collaboration knowledge technology Mood reflective critical inspired Type analytical observational When to use this quote - research - policy making - journalism - education - open data initiatives Key Concepts information ecosystems crowdsourcing digital labor Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure equitable representation in large data sets? - What responsibilities do we have toward unpaid data workers? A Different Perspective Data quality varies and may reflect biases of contributors. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Data](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/data/) [Governments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Networks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/networks/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Unpaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unpaid/) [Workers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/workers/) ## Related quotes > [Data is the new soil, because for me, it feels like a fertile, creative medium. Over the years, online, we've laid down a huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mccandless/data-is-the-new-soil-because-for-me-it-feels-like-a-fertile-creative/) [David Mccandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mccandless/) > [My position hasn't changed over the years. 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