Impacts of Information Technology on Society in the New Century
Computing and communications have undergone a revolution in recent decades, and there is every indication that technological advancements and the use of information technologies will continue at a rapid pace. Accompanying and supporting the spectacular increase in the power and use of new information technologies is the reduction in communication costs resulting from increased technology and increased competition. According to Moore's Law, the processing power of microchips doubles every 18 months. These advances offer many important opportunities, but also pose great challenges. Today, innovations in information technology are having far-reaching effects in many areas of society, and policymakers are tackling issues such as economic productivity, intellectual property rights, protection of privacy and affordability and access to information. The choices made today will have lasting effects and we must pay attention to their social and economic consequences. One of the most signif