Information Society

Course Objectives

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to

• demonstrate an understanding of the impact of information on technological change; society; government and international relations, e-commerce, education, and the place of the individual,
• identify key issues involved in the development of the “Information Society”, and
• articulate personal perspectives and show a critical awareness of the positive and negative issues of the information society.

Course Description

This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the impact that information and the systems that manage it have on the ways in which information is gathered, processed, stored and disseminated in society. The course aims to look beyond the organisation, focusing on the impact and potential impact of information on society as a whole. Key issues discussed include: technological trends and social change; ethics, morality and information and policies developed by governments for the information society.

Course Content

1. Introduction
2. Copyrights
3. Freedom of information
4. Internet governance and standards
5. Medical information systems
6. Electronic voting
7. Internet regulation
8. Biometrics
9. Software and patents
10. Privacy and security