The SEC is going to publish a report soon on federal rules on corporate disclosure, according to Reuters. But there would clearly be significant repercussions for legal departments if the SEC formally required less information to be sent out. There would be an obvious concern that companies might be seen as more vulnerable to investor litigation if they left out information that later turned out to be important. 

Lengthy disclosures

Ms White said in a speech to the National Association of Corporate Directors: 'I am raising the question ... as to whether investors need and are optimally served by the detailed and lengthy disclosures about all of the topics that companies currently provide in the reports they are required to prepare and file with us. We must continuously consider whether information overload is occurring as rules proliferate and as we contemplate what should and should not be required to be disclosed going forward.' 

Next week, Global Legal Post is publishing a report on big data, in association with Recommind.