Information society

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An Information Society, a societal construct that took shape between the 1970s and early 1990s, is typified by the profound impact of information technology^[1] on various facets of existence. The escalation of IT underpins this societal shift, with diverse interpretations of information shaping its framework. Five types of information that delineate this society were identified by Frank Webster. The expansion of global data storage since the 1980s and the escalating technological ability to process and disseminate information are fundamental characteristics. It also entails an economic shift towards a knowledge-driven economy. The scope and effects of the Information Society are extensive, influencing sectors such as education, economy, health, governance, and warfare. Challenges encompass the demand^[3] for innovative individuals and apprehensions regarding information management. The Information Society also prompts thoughts about intellectual property^[2] governance and the role of technology, including concerns about information contamination and the economic backdrop of knowledge services.

Terms definitions

1. ↑ information technology. Information Technology (IT), a broad concept, involves using computers and other tech tools for managing and processing data. This domain was born out of early computer science debates at prestigious institutions such as MIT and Harvard, with trailblazers like Alan Turing significantly contributing to the creation of the first digital computers. Over time, IT has progressed, witnessing major milestones like programmable computers, breakthroughs in semiconductor technology, and the personal computer boom in the 1970s. Presently, IT encompasses various elements like computer hardware, software, and auxiliary devices. It also includes data management and databases, which have drastically changed how we store and access data. As IT continues to infiltrate all facets of our existence, it brings up ethical dilemmas and project management challenges. Nevertheless, despite these obstacles, IT remains an indispensable discipline that has revolutionized the workforce, marketing, and trade, among other sectors.

2. ↑ intellectual property. Intellectual property, a term that encompasses the original products of human intellect, includes inventions, literary and artistic pieces, designs, symbols, brand names, and commercial images. These non-physical assets, which inherently possess value, are legally safeguarded through the application of patents, copyrights, and trademarks. The inception of the intellectual property concept can be traced back to the 15th century, with the Venetian Patent Statute of 1474 marking the first patent system in codified form. The principle behind this is to incentivize innovation and advancement by allowing creators to regulate and financially benefit from their inventions. This encourages creativity, equitable commerce, and economic expansion. Nonetheless, it's crucial for intellectual property laws to strike a balance between these rights and the broader societal interest, ensuring that knowledge and technologies are readily available to all. Violations of intellectual property rights, such as infringement of patents, copyrights, and trademarks, along with theft of trade secrets, can lead to serious repercussions.

Information society (Wikipedia)

An information society is a society or subculture where the usage, creation, distribution, manipulation and integration of information is a significant activity. Its main drivers are information and communication technologies, which have resulted in rapid growth of a variety of forms of information. Proponents of this theory posit that these technologies are impacting most important forms of social organization, including education, economy, health, government, warfare, and levels of democracy. The people who are able to partake in this form of society are sometimes called either computer users or even digital citizens, defined by K. Mossberger as “Those who use the Internet regularly and effectively”. This is one of many dozen internet terms that have been identified to suggest that humans are entering a new and different phase of society.

Some of the markers of this steady change may be technological, economic, occupational, spatial, cultural, or a combination of all of these. Information society is seen as a successor to industrial society. Closely related concepts are the post-industrial society (post-fordism), post-modern society, computer society and knowledge society, telematic society, society of the spectacle (postmodernism), Information Revolution and Information Age, network society (Manuel Castells) or even liquid modernity.

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