The value of information is the difference between the project value with the information and the project value without the information, minus the cost of acquisition.  Information can generate choices.  Information reduces uncertainty and risk.  But the quality of the information along with decision making processes can have serious effects on plans, programs, and performance.  That's why when it comes to information, it's important to have reliable, verifiable, accurately sourced information for decision making. 

"People search engines" are a specialty type of search engine.  Aside from www.pipl.com (see Research Helpline March 2007), another people search engine that is fast and thorough is www.wink.com.  It is one site to use to search multiple social networking sites at the same time, such as Zoominfo., LinkedIn, Bebo, MySpace, Flickr and others.  Not only can individuals be searched, but groups of people can be searched.  Look up "medical entrepreneurs" in "Boston" and a group of said entrepreneurs will be returned to you in rapid order.  Try it out with your interests in mind.

Of course the method of finding people is the same around the world but each country has a different legal system and slightly different laws governing the activity.  Likewise, each country has different sources of information and different attitudes about privacy.

Search engines continue to evolve.  The popular search engine "Ask.com" has produced an "Ask for Kids" website - www.ajkids.com which provides "good answers for simple questions", along with news by age groups and other entertaining games for kids.