Information and society

Since the advent of easy access to the internet and the World Wide Web, society has a different attitude towards information and access to information. The technology changes – from slow desk-tops with dial-up access to smartphones – have also changed our interaction with information.

This is also an area in which generational differences show up. Those of us born before the mid1980s or 1990s have followed all of these changes and have had to adapt to it. For those born in the 1990s (the millennials or digital natives), these methods of getting information have always existed. The millenials have seen some of the technology changes but don’t remember the “old” way. Keep this in mind as you read these notes.

An information society

At the beginning of the semester we talked about the many different ways we get information and the definitions of information. Now we’re going to look more at how information and information technologies have changed society.

Lester and Koehler talk about defining an information society in economic sense. While this is important, I don’t think we need to look at the percentage of our GNP to see that we do live in an information society. Think of all the companies that are based on information – computer technologies, web based businesses, cell phone and technologies, GPS, etc. There are also jobs that rely on information – customer service, stock markets, etc.

Our relationship with information also shows that we live in an information society. The ability to have constant and almost instant news (of any sort) from Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo!, or any other internet or social networking sites. The ability to easily have phone calls with several people at once, easily have video phone calls, inexpensive calls around the world, are also examples of the impact of information (and technologies) on our lives.

I feel at a loss when the internet goes down at work. I can’t look for information; I can’t…