Development of Internet technologies has empowered ordinary users to
create, contribute, share and connect with other members of the
community. As users learn to exploit the potential of networked
communications, they participate in a process, which facilitates a shift
from individual to collective contributions and introduces an
opportunity for multi-vocal and multi-faceted representation of cultural
heritage. Open access to crowdsourced collections requires
reconsideration of the traditional authoritative approach of cultural
heritage institutions. The arduous nature of the work rendered
voluntarily in cultural heritage crowdsourcing initiatives calls for
reconsideration of power relationships and giving power to devoted
contributors supported by modern “intelligent” technology to regulate
the process of representation and organization. Taking into
consideration the fact that crowdsourced data are not without flaws, the
question is how to better utilize the collective intelligence to create
quality information. In this context, various issues such as power,
control, trust, inter-contributor consensus, heterogeneity of opinions
will be raised and discussed by the panelists. Each of the panelists
comes from a different field of expertise (Computer science, Information
science, Economics, Communication studies, cultural heritage) and
various cultural backgrounds and geographical locations (United States,
Europe and Israel). This diversity will be reflected in the presented
perspectives on the crowdsourcing topic.