Personally I think the coalescing of several technologies to vastly improve the collection, sorting and dissemenation of personal and previously private information will be the trend with the most impact over the next 10 years. After about that amount of time the public will likely wake up and there will be a backlash, but I fear it may be too late. It may be too late already.

I think you’re right on the money here in everything aside from the time-line, which I’d argue will happen much sooner than 5-10 years.

Interesting twist with the “And the best part is that new business models will enable much of this to be free” argument. Sadly, I agree this will happen, but disagree that this will be a good thing. As Wired tried to prove last month, this “free” business model will be stemming beyond the virtual. Through the web we’ve had a world of ad supported “free” content- which has been fine when I can click a little “x”… I’m just a bit ambivalent about accepting this into the real world. Free sounds great, but the concept of some sort of physical pop-up ad just scares me.

Anyway- nice article.