Impacts of Information Technology on Society in the New Century
Computing and communications have been revolutionized in recent decades, and there are all signs that technological advancements and the use of information technology are continuing at a rapid pace. In addition to the dramatic improvement in performance and use of new information technologies, communication costs have decreased as a result of both technological improvements and increased competition. According to Moore's Law, the processing power of microchips doubles every 18 months. These advancements offer many important opportunities, but also pose major challenges. Today, innovations in information technology have far-reaching implications in many areas of society, and policy makers are taking action on economic productivity, intellectual property rights, privacy and information accessibility. The choices made now will have lasting consequences and their social and economic impact must be taken into account. Perhaps one of the most significant achievements of advancements in ...