This edited volume is in a series on “Public Administration and Information Technology,” while the bookstore filing recommendation over the barcode states “Social Sciences/Political Science.” The latter is a better indicator of the content, as would be the added phrase “Public Policy.”

There are eight brief chapters, starting with an overview by the editors (one in the Dept. of Health Management and Policy, the other in Informatics) and an associate. Subsequent chapters discuss the nontechnical aspects of interoperable data, collaboration and trust building, consumer confidence as evidenced by labeling, product certification, and the like.

Technical aspects are largely irrelevant, and the focus is on policy issues and product certifications and the potential problems of privacy confidentiality and security issues that primarily arise from the points of view of producers attempting to guard their business interests at the same time as promoting public trust in their inventory. While well written, there is little here of direct interest to most members of the ACM, I regret.