Chapter 2 Developing a Socially Responsible Information Technology Environment

Technologists typically give little thought to the negative impacts of technology upon society at large, preferring instead to argue that there is no alternative, and to label those raising social concerns as ‘Luddites’. In any responsible society however it is essential that thought is given to how technological innovation can be managed, and this calls for some government planning – a bete noir of contemporary political thought. It seems that so far all governments have largely failed both to appreciate the significance and pace of developments and have failed to develop a stance in respect to it. They have significantly failed to develop a policy which ensures that society as a whole, and individual members of that society benefit from the future developments in this area. This can be contrasted with many individuals who have readily grasped the power of information technology and have combined into groups who have been able to exert significant influence on those governments. Indeed it can be considered that the entire anti-globalisation movement could not exist without the availability of that information technology. As Barnett and Crowther (1998) point out, the internet removes the need for geographical proximity in order for people to combine in achieving a purpose.