Theories of the Information Society - Essay Example

Theories of the Information Society Introduction: If a person on the street is asked about the society he or she lives, the probable answer would be with reference to the country or region of such a person. For example, a European might state the society is a Westernized one. A person in Asia would say that he or she is living according to Asian cultures. Some of the more academic ones may say that the society is capitalistic, socialistic, monarchic, or communist. There can also be views as to the society being Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or any other religious beliefs of the people who respond. But the rapid technical and scientific advancements in the world at large have resulted in a new kind of society that is to a large extent influenced by information. This new society has been dubbed the information society by modern thinkers and scholars. As with any established trend, theories of information societies have also been developed during the past several decades. This paper looks at the theories of the information societies that have become prominent with regard to the information age that is experienced by large sections of the population in many areas of the world. The information age: Recorded history shows that homo-sapiens began living in a community setting as hunter gatherers. Many modern thinkers like Alvin Toffler have identified three distinct ways of living after this phase. In order, they are the agricultural phase, the industrial phase and the information phase or age. Accordingly one is now living in an information age where the ability to control this aspect is key to success and wealth (eds. Alvey & Jamerson, 1997). Any person who has access to information technology products is now aware of the growing influence of factors like the email, the worldwide web, social networking sites, business and personal web portals, and blogs. According to an article published by the official portal of Europe’s Information Society, “in just one generation, information and communications technologies (ICTs) have revolutionised the way we live, learn, work and play. They have radically recast the ways in which people, industry, governments and society interact” (Europe’s Information Society). Another factor is that increasing globalization, free trade, and immigration that has resulted in a more homogenous society in many parts of the developed world. A person from Japan can now become an electronic friend with a person in England. A customer can buy a product from the United States without ever visiting the country with help of a computer, the internet, and a credit card. All these show that today’s society, in spite of its uniqueness with regard to culture, race, and policies is now being unified and hence referred to as an ‘information’ or ‘networked’ society. Theories of the information society: In the information society, “networks constitute the social morphology of our societies, and the diffusion of networking logic substantially modifies the operation and outcomes in process of production, experience, power and culture” (Castells, 2000, p.500). Frank Webster, in his authoritative work on this area states that there are five specific areas or definitions by which theories on the information society can be classified into. They are the technological, economic, occupational, spatial, and cultural aspects or criteria (Webster, 2002, p. 8). Webster stresses that all the theories about this society fall into any one, or more of the above mentioned criteria. There is so much of information available today about all these aspects that it the right word to be used is the information society. Prominent theorists, according to Webster include Daniel Bell, Manuel Castells, Hetbet Schillet, Jürgen Habermas, and Anthony Giddens. The technological aspect is given first probably because it is the most obvious one in the whole process. Computers, the internet, email, networking, etc which are products of technology, all can be used or experienced by people. Daniel Bell’s theory on post industrialized society (which he later termed as the information society) provides a better and comprehensive example of the technological aspect of the theory. Technology will change the society into a service industry from a mass producing one. It will also be used for better health-care, education, and research. Finally technology will also bring about innovation and what he refers to as intellectual technology. The latter aspect will bring about better methods in decision making through extensive use of computers and software (Preston, 2001, p. 66). Manuel Castells focuses on the concept of networking in an information society. There will be higher levels of communication and interaction among all sections of the population. The words he uses are “pervasiveness, flexibility, and convergence” (Fuchs, 2008, p.100). He also uses a new term ‘informationalism’, which in this context, forms the core of a networked or information society. Herbert Schiller, a mass communication expert looks at the negative side of the information age. He is of the opinion that large media companies are a threat to the oral and cultural traditions of any society. He adds that the economic the information society has not been able to bring down the economic divide that exists in society (Schiller, 2000, p. 132). Later on, Schiller goes on to say that technology has resulted in corporate stranglehold on the population in virtually every field of human endeavour including education, sports, advertising, and even medicine. Anthony Giddens looks at the information society as a modern one. In the pre-modern age, it was kinship between people in a society that was valued while in the modern age, it is personal relationships. More importantly, in the pre-modern era, the local community was seen as an important social factor. But in this age, technology has thinned the distinction between time and space diminishing the importance of the concept of a local community (Giddens, 1991, p.102). The explosion in social networking sites could be one of the examples of this space time dimension. Jürgen. Habermas, who is described by Stanford University as one of the most influential modern day philosophers is also highly critical of the information society. Like Schiller, Habermas also states the members of the information society are prisoners of the corporate world. The members of the general public have no say in what is being communicated by those with vested interests. For example, he states that public institution like museums and libraries were created for the purpose of providing impartial knowledge to members of the public. But this concept is no longer very relevant today. In other words, Habermas states that “if public institutions like radio or libraries, are converted into mere profit-minded organizations, then the quality of information provide will suffer significantly” (Nayar, 2004, p. 51). Moreover, such (broadcasting/communication) institutions and the people that own them have the power to influence public opinion in their favour. In spite of criticisms, an information society has its distinct advantages. According to Viviane Reding, a part of the ‘European Commission responsible for Information Society and Media’, the situation is “not a cold technocratic nightmare, but a future in which technology helps us live life to the full;” (Reding, 2006, p.5). If used in the right way, it is extremely effective in improving the lives of the society in practically all spheres of life. Conclusion: There have been many theories regarding the information society and some of the prominent ones have been discussed here (based on the observations of Webster). There are those who welcome it and others who view the situation as a threat. The former group sees the new age society as a blessing that can be useful and helpful to the society and its members. The latter group sees more disadvantages than advantages. It appears that both views are correct to a large extent. But the control over or influence over the society as stated by Schiller and Habermas is a reality that cannot be ignored. Such institutions should not look for profits alone. Ultimately, it is up to the individual user to make use of its advantages and ignore the disadvantages. Government policy, the involvement of NGOS and other human rights groups will also help in this regard. References Alvey, W & Jamerson, B (eds.) 1997, Record linkage techniques - 1997: proceedings of an international workshop and exposition, The National Academies Press, Washington DC. Castells, M 2000, The rise of the network society, 2nd edn, Wiley-Blackwell. Europe’s Information Society, What exactly is the information society? Viewed 15 November 2009, http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/services/ncg/en/index_en.htm Fuchs, C 2008, Internet and society: social theory in the information age, Routledge. Giddens, A 1991, The consequences of modernity, Stanford University Press. Nayar, PK 2004, Virtual worlds: culture and politics in the age of cybertechnology, Sage. Preston, P 2001, Reshaping communications: technology, information, and social change, Sage, London. Reding, V 2006, Digital convergence: a whole new way of life, Europe’s Information Society, viewed 15 November 2009, http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/reding/docs/speeches/dle_20060530.pdf Schiller, H 2000, Living in the number one country: reflections from a critic of American empire, Seven Stories Press. Webster, F 2002, Theories of the information society, 2nd edn, Routledge. Read More