Inside the digital society
David Souter writes a weekly column for APC, looking at different aspects of the information society, development and rights. David’s pieces take a fresh look at many of the issues that concern APC and its members, with the aim of provoking discussion and debate. Issues covered include internet governance and sustainable development, human rights and the environment, policy, practice and the use of ICTs by individuals and communities.
Last time I wrote about the (unexpected) resilience of the book in digital times. Far from dying out, book sales are currently reviving. But what about those other icons of the print age, newspapers? What’s happening to them, and does it matter?
Twenty years ago, as the internet took off, a lot of people thought the days of books were numbered.
Some thoughts this week on some of the names we've given phenomena in the world of ICTs - and whether what we mean by the biggest term of all (the 'Information Society') is changing or should change.
What has changed since the early days of the internet? David Souter returns with four thoughts which seem important when looking forward.
In May, Internet users in Europe were flooded by emails from organisations telling them of changes in their data protection arrangements or asking them to renew consent to hold and use their data. Was this spam? No. It was the result of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) – new European Union (EU) rules to govern how governments, businesses, charities and others can use the data ind...
What’s the impact of ICTs on equality and inequality? What’s the relationship between digital divides and other inequalities between women and men, old and young, poor and rich? Are new technologies reducing or increasing inequalities?
What will the digital society do to jobs? Will it usher in an age of unemployment or an age of leisure? Will we be served by robots or displaced by them? Will there be greater income inequality or less? This week: some comments on that theme, with a closing (counter-intuitive) conclusion.
Inside the Information Society returns after a break. This week’s post (based on a speech written for a recent conference) looks at the relationship between innovation and development.
This story’s about many things: the power that data gives to data companies like Facebook; the potential that it gives those companies and others to influence opinion; the impact of new media on old, on politics and populism.
Instead of choosing between many different internet platforms, we’re dependent on a few. So what went wrong (or right, depending on your point of view)?
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