RESOURCE EXTRA
Information Society
Updated 29/9/08
Follow the trail
This page
The following aspects of the Information Society:
- Promoting the Internet.
- Access for All/The Digital Divide, Research on the effects.
- Internet freedom, political issues.
Elsewhere
- Voluntary and community sector IT use - take-up and possibilities, including UK Online centres.
- Digital Futures - review and discussion of sector IT issues.
- For ways of getting onto the web, go to Web Services.
- You may also find Computer Services, or local facilities referenced on the Local Contacts page, useful.
- Web Site Acccessibility for how to avoid exclusion by design.
Promoting IT/Internet
- See Voluntary Sector and IT page
for initiatives directly involved voluntary organisations. UK Online
Centres developments are also given there.
- Sustain IT carries out research,
consultancy, training, events and demonstration projects to identfy
and promote ICT with environmental and social benefits.
- Wired Up Communities
Practitioners Toolkit.
- In Scotland, the Scottish Executive's
Digital Scotland initiative seems to have run its course (Jan 06).
It aimed to ensure that Scotland obtains and retains maximum economic
and social advantage from information and communication technologies.
- Check official moves at the e-Government
Unit.
- Citizens Online# A
charity "exploring the social and cultural impact of the Internet",
but as they consider removing Flash makes their site "accessible
to absolutely everyone" we have reservations. A source of internet
statistics though.
- European Commission Information Society site.
Research, Access for All, Digital Sustainability
The social effects of the the internet is the subject of a variety of research.
UK/Europe Focus
- Alliance
for Digital Inclusion. Launched Oct 04, a cross-sector collaboration
to address the issues.
- iSociety
was a project of the Work
Foundation, now closed, looking at '"the
impact of ICT in the UK", particularly in relation to everyday
life.
- Digital Futures (direct link dead, autumn 03). A major report published
by Forum for the Future,
plus a book (Earthscan, ISBN 1 85383 789 X, £19-99, March 01).
Looks at the interaction between e-commerce and wider internet use against
sustainable economic development. See our review
page.
- The Virtual Society?
programme coordinates studies being done across 25 British, 2 foreign
universities. Various papers, and as at June 00, slide show of Defining
the Digital Divide presentation to Citizens Online, 23/5/00
- See also Inclusion in the Information Society - The Distinctive
Role of E-Gateways on the Voluntary
Sector and internet page
- See also Inclusion in the Information Society - The Distinctive
Role of E-Gateways on the Voluntary
Sector and internet page
- comm.unity is a campaign from Business
in the Community to raise corporate awareness of the digital
divide. However, it no longer seems to be a main programme (May
05).
- Foundation for Information Policy Research is 'an independent body that studies the interaction between information technology and society. Our goal is to identify technical developments with significant social impact, commission research into public policy alternatives, and promote public understanding and dialogue between technologists and policy-makers in the UK and Europe.'
American based
-
There is an article of the same name but different author (Bridging The Digital Divide: First You Need The Bridge By Jonathan Peizer, June 00) on MediaChannel, which is probably more interesting and accessible.
-
Digital Divide Network is a coalition of non-profits and IT companies.
Global
- World Summit on Information Society is a two-part UN led gathering
focusing on the application of these technologies to the benefit of
human development. The NGO response by CONGO
may be a good starting point to follow developments.
- Communication Rights in the Information
Society International campaign sponsored by a groups of NGOs. Web
site relaunched May 03.
- Information Technology, Globalization and Social Development
is the title of a paper given to a 1998 UN conference by Manual Castells
(Professor of Sociology plus City & Regional Planning, at Berkeley)
- find it via UNRISD
section on Information Technologies and Social Development. A fairly
readable summary from this leading commentator, who has also written
detailed books (key one is The Information Age: Economy, Society
and Culture).
- Oneworld is a partner in the Digital
Opportunity channel. They are also the lead NGO on the 'dotforce'
- Digital Opportunity
Task Force - which is an international
partnership between all sectors. This in turn has led to Open
Knowledge Network to help increase local ICT capacity
and content in 'the South', but site has disappeared - see info
on One World.
- Digital Dividend from
World Resources Institute 'applying digital technology for sustainable
development'. Exploring creative business approaches, using ICT to accelerate
development. Lessons
from the Field: ICTs in NGO Capacity Building (new 2003).
- Simputer The 'simple
computer' project aims to supply low cost PCs which avoids the third
world illiteracy barrier.
- UNITeS is the UN Information Technology Service, which aims to create a global volunteer programme to bridge the digital divide between the industrialized and the developing world.
Internet Freedom, Privacy and Problems
Electronic Privacy Information Center For once a US based website which understands what 'international' means!
Global Internet Liberty Campaign.
An opinion piece on trAce,, the online writing centre, on the negative impact of PC manufacture (Nov 03).
