6. A data processing system that displays tag words for selection by a user engaged in social tagging of content accessible via a communications network, comprising: a display; and a processor in communication with the display that displays a graphical user interface within the display, the graphical user interface comprising: a tag cloud, wherein the tag cloud is a visual representation of an inventory of the tag words, wherein each tag word is a metadata keyword that can be selected and associated with the content by the user, wherein the tag words are displayed alphabetically, and wherein ones of the tag words with higher popularity are displayed in a larger font than ones of the tag words with lesser popularity; a tag word selection field adjacent to the tag cloud, wherein the tag word selection field displays tag words selected by the user from the tag cloud; a long tail tag word inventory curve adjacent to the tag cloud, wherein the long tail tag word inventory curve is a graphical representation of the tag words in the inventory by popularity, wherein the long tail tag word inventory curve includes a head portion, a body portion, and a long tail portion, and wherein the head portion represents an upper percentile of tag word popularity, the body portion represents an intermediate percentile of tag word popularity, and the long tail portion represents a lower percentile of tag word popularity; and a slider control displayed adjacent to the long tail tag word inventory curve, wherein the slider control is operably associated with the tag cloud and with the long tail tag word inventory curve and is responsive to user movement, and wherein movement of the slider control changes a number of the tag words from the inventory displayed in the tag cloud.
6. A data processing system that displays tag words for selection by a user engaged in social tagging of content accessible via a communications network, comprising: a display; and a processor in communication with the display that displays a graphical user interface within the display, the graphical user interface comprising: a tag cloud, wherein the tag cloud is a visual representation of an inventory of the tag words, wherein each tag word is a metadata keyword that can be selected and associated with the content by the user, wherein the tag words are displayed alphabetically, and wherein ones of the tag words with higher popularity are displayed in a larger font than ones of the tag words with lesser popularity; a tag word selection field adjacent to the tag cloud, wherein the tag word selection field displays tag words selected by the user from the tag cloud; a long tail tag word inventory curve adjacent to the tag cloud, wherein the long tail tag word inventory curve is a graphical representation of the tag words in the inventory by popularity, wherein the long tail tag word inventory curve includes a head portion, a body portion, and a long tail portion, and wherein the head portion represents an upper percentile of tag word popularity, the body portion represents an intermediate percentile of tag word popularity, and the long tail portion represents a lower percentile of tag word popularity; and a slider control displayed adjacent to the long tail tag word inventory curve, wherein the slider control is operably associated with the tag cloud and with the long tail tag word inventory curve and is responsive to user movement, and wherein movement of the slider control changes a number of the tag words from the inventory displayed in the tag cloud. 8. The data processing system of claim 6 , wherein the graphical user interface comprises an additional slider control displayed adjacent to the long tail tag word inventory curve, wherein the additional slider control is operably associated with the tag cloud and with the long tail tag word inventory curve and is responsive to user movement, and wherein movement of the additional slider control changes the number of the tag words displayed in the tag cloud.