Society of the Information

Nowadays the expression Society of the Information is amuch known term worldwide. Although this expressionimplies deep transformations in the social, economic andtechnological level, it also brings promises in terms ofopportunities and benefits. However, it raises controversialaspects. This transformation could have exclusionaryeffects and disadvantages for different social actors.The Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)are altering the way of coexistence forms, acceleratingthe rate and volume of knowledge generation. ICTs arechanging the way in which citizens communicate, transmit,receive, adapt and use information and knowledge.The current uses and applications of ICTs are diverse, andare improving the quality of life of the citizens. For instance,farmers are increasing the use of ICTs to obtain priceinformation of the markets, with the intention to avoidintermediaries and to receive better prices for theirproducts. The benefits associated to the usage of ICT’sare also observed when these help the governments tointensify the flow of information, the accountability, andthe consequent transparency. Still more important is thepresence of ICTs in the field of the education, since theycomplement the traditional infrastructure and educationmethods, and have specific applications inside and outsidethe classrooms. Therefore, to generate access to theknowledge society should be a countries objective in thecourse of reaching development.
The World Summit of the Information Society fulfilled theassignment to introduce the Information Society thematicwithin all national agendas. In this way, during the followingyears several national strategies (cyber strategies or ICTstrategies) were elaborated and developed. Thesestrategies became the foundation to sustain theconstruction of the Information Society in different regionsand nations. At global level, international organisms suchas the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), theUnited Nations Programme for Development (UNDP), theWorld Bank (WB), and the UN ICT Task Force, developedmethodologies to design and promote this type ofstrategies.
According to different publications made by the UNDP,World Bank, UN ECLAC, among others, the plans of actionto approach the Information Society must be consider aspublic policies and not as peripheral or accessoryprograms. The natural consequence of “To let do” to theprivate sector and the influence of the market, usuallyresults in the development of infrastructure and connectivityonly in profitable markets. Despite the potential benefitsthat can be offered by ICTs, developing countries facesignificant obstacles to ICT connectivity and access. LDC’sgovernments usually assign small quantities of resourcesto ICT investment and the thematic occupies a secondor third position with respect to national priorities like healthand education.
One of the well-known factors that influence the successof these strategies is the implementation of a multisectorialstructure in the phases of design and application. Thisstructure helps to obtain an integral perspective, sustainedin the compared visions of all key stakeholder of theprocess (including the civil society and the private sector).The present paradigm aims to develop inclusive programswith multisectorial coordination, and to incorporate activelyinto the development agendas, as the most effectiveroadmap for the transition towards the Information Society.It is necessary to make emphasis, also, in the regionalcoincidence of efforts with regional strategies or plans.Consequently, these strategies and their actions offer agreater degree of usage of ICTs by the population.Considering “greater degree” as the use and involvementof ICT to influence and contribute other social programssuch as e-government, e-education, e-health, and ecommerce.In such a way, obtaining a better degree ofdiffusion of ICT the impact on the society will be greater,understanding “greater” to the social involvement oftechnologies by human beings.