Final answer:
To be useful, information must be timely so it can influence decisions when needed; outdated information is often not useful and can be misleading.
Step-by-step explanation:
To be useful, information must have the quality of timeliness. This means that the information should be available in a time frame that allows it to influence decisions and actions. Information that is outdated or not received in time to be acted upon is often of little to no use. For example, knowing the weather forecast is only helpful if received before the time you need to dress appropriately or decide to carry an umbrella. Timeliness is crucial because even accurate information can be inadequate to the facts if it's outdated, and therefore it may become highly confused, mixed with error and nonsense, or subject to change in time.