Saturday 10 March 2007

Information and society







Historically, information has played an important role in society and has changed many aspects of our culture and identity. Particularly in the past century as people have become increasingly reliant on technology and information provided by the media.
Information can influence and change society easily through the introduction of new technologies such as the telephone, radio, television and the PC .Information is needed in society, because information is knowledge and only by increasing knowledge can societies evolve and grow. In addition, knowledge and information are equated with power; whoever controls information has power. So in order to maintain sociological structure governments have to control information in a way to limit access to certain members of society.
There are various other benefits which arise from the control of information. Firstly, information is now a valuable commodity which is traded between nations, so it clearly makes sense to protect an investment. In addition certain types of information can be used to develop new technologies and design devices such as nuclear warheads which place certain nations at an advantage over nations. There is also a downside to this as, this information in the wrong hands could have a potentially huge effect on all societies around the world. Information also has to be controlled for public safety, some information if released would frighten people causing widespread panic and hysteria.
Information is vital in society and although portions have to be controlled the sharing of information between individuals is beneficial for society in order to increase knowledge and promote further growth of the human race.

Boone & Kurtz, Contemporary Business, (2002), tenth edition, page 616-620.

http://www.indiana.edu/~tisj/


http://www.duke.edu/~mccann/info-soc.htm

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