Abstract
The driving force behind the Information Society is the desire of governments worldwide to improve the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) products and to make the best use of the opportunities they create. This will lead to an increase in competitiveness, create new jobs and improve the overall quality of life for all citizens. Example applications which are already available as pilot systems in many countries can be found in areas as diverse as health care and tele-medicine (Wall Street Journal 1994), on-line access to public information services provided by local and national governments, new leisure and entertainment opportunities (direct broadcast satellite digital TV, virtual reality games played over the Internet on powerful 64-bit games consoles, interactive TV, direct access to travel agents for viewing and booking holiday options are just a very few of the possibilities which already exist today), tele-working, and tele-shopping from home via a normal telephone line.
This article was prepared by the author while employed by the European Commission’s Directorate General III (Industry) in the capacity of research staff in the Brussels based IT Policy Analysis Unit (A.5). A major extract first appeared in print in the Winter 1994–5 issue of I&T Magazine, published jointly by the EC’s DG III and DG XIII. The author is now on assignment with DG XIII/E in Luxemburg.
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References
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Associated Press, a 1993 Associated Press poll in the USA showed that over 40% of adult Americans feel that information technology is not helping them. Among the 60% who believe that it is, one-third felt that they are not keeping up for reasons varying from lack of knowledge (36%) to lack of money (24%), lack of time (21%), and even desire to do so (16%).
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© 1996 Physica-Verlag Heidelberg
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Longhorn, R. (1996). The Information Society — Developments in the Triad of Europe, North America and Japan. In: Brenner, W., Kolbe, L. (eds) The Information Superhighway and Private Households. Physica-Verlag HD. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48423-0_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-48423-0_20
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