Summary Theories on Media, Technology and Society

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THEORIES‌‌ON‌‌MEDIA,‌‌ ‌
TECHNOLOGY‌‌AND‌‌SOCIETY‌ ‌
2020-2021‌ ‌
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MASTER‌‌NEW‌‌MEDIA‌‌&‌‌SOCIETY‌‌ ‌PROF.‌‌VAN‌‌AUDENHOVE‌ ‌

D.L.Y.‌ ‌‌

‌

, CHAPTER‌‌ONE‌ ‌
INTRODUCTION‌ ‌



1.‌‌INTRODUCTION‌ ‌

● Documentary‌‌The‌‌Social‌‌Dilemma‌‌(2020)‌ ‌
○ Inside‌‌account‌‌of‌‌people‌‌who’ve‌‌been‌‌working‌‌for‌‌big‌‌social‌‌media‌‌companies‌ ‌
○ Technologies‌‌shaping‌‌society‌‌and‌‌psychology‌‌behind‌‌why‌‌we‌‌like‌‌social‌‌media‌‌ ‌

● The‌‌Network‌‌Society,‌‌Ericsson‌‌-‌‌2012‌‌(not‌‌a‌‌documentary)‌ ‌
○ Positive‌‌account‌‌of‌‌what‌‌technology‌‌could‌‌do‌‌and‌‌how‌‌they‌‌thought‌‌the‌‌world‌‌would‌‌change‌‌ ‌
○ Disappearance‌‌of‌‌mass‌‌media:‌‌did‌‌not‌‌happen‌‌(e‌ .g.‌‌Netflix,‌‌Amazon,‌‌Disney,‌…
‌ )‌ ‌ ‌
■ Platform‌‌economics:‌‌small‌‌amount‌‌of‌‌platforms‌‌produce‌‌and‌‌distribute‌‌to‌‌global‌‌audience‌‌ ‌
○ Expectations‌‌about‌‌how‌‌technology‌‌would‌‌shape‌‌society‌‌did‌‌not‌‌materialise‌‌ ‌
○ Still‌‌space‌‌for‌‌creativity‌‌on‌‌the‌‌internet‌‌(did‌‌happen!)‌‌ ‌

● The‌‌Gutenberg‌‌Galaxy,‌‌CBS‌ ‌-‌‌1960‌ ‌
○ Introduction‌‌to‌‌interview‌‌with‌‌McLuhan:‌‌“medium‌‌is‌‌the‌‌message”‌‌ ‌
○ ⇒
Gadgets‌‌of‌‌1960s:‌‌television,‌‌radio,‌‌newspapers‌‌ ‌‌smaller‌‌world,‌‌global‌‌world‌‌ ‌
○ ⇒
Light‌‌extends‌‌social‌‌life‌‌hours‌‌ ‌‌each‌‌medium‌‌will‌‌create‌‌a‌‌different‌‌kind‌‌of‌‌society‌ ‌
○ ⇒ ⇒
Audiovisual‌‌society‌‌ ‌‌audiovisual‌‌was‌‌a‌‌family‌‌thing‌ ‌ ‌‌now,‌‌audiovisual‌‌individual‌‌as‌‌well‌ ‌ ‌



2.‌‌THEORIES‌‌ON‌‌THE‌‌INFORMATION‌‌SOCIETY‌‌ ‌

● Theories‌‌on‌‌the‌‌information‌‌society‌ ‌
○ First‌‌theories‌‌of‌‌the‌‌information‌‌society‌‌1950s-1960s‌‌ ‌
○ Economic‌‌shift:‌‌service‌‌industry‌‌+‌‌occupational‌‌shift:‌‌work‌‌manufacturing‌‌to‌‌service‌‌industries‌ ‌

● Theories‌‌relation‌‌technology‌‌and‌‌social‌‌change‌‌ ‌
○ Earlier:‌ ‌1940s‌ ‌theories‌ ‌that‌ ‌look‌ ‌at‌ ‌industrialisation‌ ‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌relation‌ ‌between‌ ‌the‌ ‌telegraph,‌ ‌the‌‌
telephone‌‌and‌‌how‌‌that‌‌changed‌‌society‌‌in‌‌the‌‌works‌‌of‌‌Innis‌‌ ‌

● Modern‌‌theories‌‌on‌‌the‌‌information‌‌society‌ ‌
○ 1973‌‌The‌‌coming‌‌of‌‌Post-Industrial‌‌Society‌‌-‌‌Daniel‌‌Bell‌ ‌
○ Since‌‌the‌‌1990s‌‌-‌‌rise‌‌of‌‌ICTs‌‌and‌‌the‌‌Internet‌‌ ‌
○ 1970s‌‌start‌‌mainstream:‌‌authors‌‌that‌‌thought‌‌about‌‌technology,‌‌information,‌‌knowledge‌‌and‌‌society‌ ‌

● Many‌‌of‌‌current‌‌discussions‌‌of‌‌media‌‌and‌‌technology‌ ‌
○ Framed‌‌within‌‌conceptualisations‌‌of‌‌information‌‌society‌ ‌
○ Built‌‌on‌‌insights‌‌which‌‌were‌‌formulated‌‌earlier‌ ‌
○ Even‌‌if‌‌theories‌‌themselves‌‌do‌‌not‌‌refer‌‌to‌‌information‌‌society‌ ‌


1‌ ‌

, CHAPTER‌‌TWO‌ ‌
FRANK‌‌WEBSTER‌ ‌


● Frank‌‌Webster‌‌(born‌‌1950)‌ ‌
○ Gives‌‌us‌‌a‌‌framework‌‌thinking‌‌about‌‌theories‌‌of‌‌information‌‌and‌‌the‌‌information‌‌society‌ ‌
○ Partly‌‌tells‌‌the‌‌truth,‌‌but‌‌authors‌‌also‌‌disagree‌ ‌


1.‌ ‌CHAPTER‌‌ONE:‌‌INTRODUCTION‌ ‌

● The‌ ‌starting‌ ‌point‌ ‌for‌ ‌this‌ ‌book‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌emergence‌ ‌of‌ ‌an‌ ‌apparently‌‌new‌‌way‌‌of‌‌conceiving‌‌contemporary‌‌
societies‌.‌ ‌Commentators‌ ‌increasingly‌ ‌began‌ ‌to‌ ‌talk‌ ‌about‌ ‌‘information‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌distinguishing‌ ‌feature‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌‌
modern‌ ‌world‌ ‌40‌‌years‌‌or‌‌so‌‌ago.‌‌This‌‌prioritisation‌‌of‌‌information‌‌has‌‌maintained‌‌its‌‌hold‌‌now‌‌for‌‌several‌‌
decades‌ ‌and‌ ‌there‌‌is‌‌little‌‌sign‌‌of‌‌it‌‌losing‌‌its‌‌grip‌‌on‌‌the‌‌imagination.‌‌We‌‌are‌‌‌told‌‌that‌‌we‌‌are‌‌entering‌‌an‌‌
information‌ ‌age‌,‌ ‌that‌ ‌a‌ ‌new‌ ‌‘mode‌ ‌of‌‌information’‌‌predominates,‌‌that‌‌ours‌‌is‌‌now‌‌an‌‌‌‘e-society’‌,‌‌that‌‌we‌‌
must‌ ‌come‌ ‌to‌ ‌terms‌‌with‌‌a‌‌‘weightless‌‌economy’‌‌driven‌‌by‌‌information,‌‌that‌‌we‌‌have‌‌moved‌‌into‌‌a‌‌‘global‌‌
information‌‌economy’‌ ‌
○ Lot‌ ‌of‌ ‌theories‌ ‌also‌ ‌talk‌ ‌about‌ ‌other‌ ‌things‌ ‌than‌ ‌information‌‌(e‌ .g.‌‌data,‌‌knowledge,‌‌innovation‌‌at‌‌
center‌‌of‌‌theories‌‌instead‌‌of‌‌information‌)‌
○ Webster‌‌constantly‌‌accuses‌‌people‌‌of‌‌not‌‌being‌‌correct‌‌ ‌
○ Society‌ ‌is‌ ‌fundamentally‌ ‌changing‌‌because‌‌of‌‌technology,‌‌
⇒
rise‌‌of‌‌data,‌‌…‌‌ ‌‌correct‌‌ ‌
○ ‘Carefully‌‌when‌‌framing’,‌‌should‌‌also‌‌do‌‌this‌‌himself‌ ‌

● Ladder‌‌of‌‌information‌‌ ‌
○ Carefully‌‌look‌‌at‌‌theories,‌‌texts‌‌ ‌
○ Distinction‌‌between‌‌data,‌‌information,‌‌knowledge,‌…
‌ ‌‌

● While‌ ‌I‌ ‌was‌ ‌writing‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌edition‌ ‌of‌ ‌this‌ ‌book‌ ‌discussion‌ ‌appeared‌ ‌stimulated‌ ‌chiefly‌ ‌by‌ ‌technological‌‌
change.‌ ‌The‌‌‘microelectronics‌‌revolution’,‌‌announced‌‌in‌‌the‌‌late‌‌1970s‌‌and‌‌early‌‌1980s,‌‌launched‌‌a‌‌fleet‌‌of‌‌
opinions‌‌about‌‌what‌‌information‌‌technology‌‌(IT)‌‌was‌‌set‌‌to‌‌do‌‌to‌‌us.‌‌Then‌‌favoured‌‌topics‌‌were‌‌‌‘the‌‌end‌‌of‌‌
work’,‌‌the‌‌advent‌‌of‌‌a‌‌‘leisure‌‌society’,‌‌the‌‌totally‌‌‘automated‌‌factory’‌‌in‌‌which‌‌robots‌‌did‌‌everything.‌ ‌
○ ‘End‌‌of‌‌work’‌‌arose‌‌in‌‌‘70s-’80s,‌‌returns‌‌in‌‌current‌‌discussions‌‌(e‌ .g.‌‌AI,‌‌online‌‌services,‌‌robotics‌)‌ ‌

● Today’s‌‌agenda‌‌concerns‌‌the‌‌Internet‌‌especially,‌‌‌the‌‌‘information‌‌superhighway’‌‌‌and‌‌‌cyber‌‌society‌‌brought‌‌
about‌‌now‌‌by‌‌information‌‌and‌‌communications‌‌technologies‌‌(ICTs).‌‌Hot‌‌topics‌‌now‌‌are‌‌‌electronic‌‌democracy‌,‌‌
virtual‌ ‌relations,‌ ‌interactivity,‌ ‌personalisation,‌‌cyborgs‌‌and‌‌online‌‌communities.‌‌Much‌‌comment‌‌‌now‌‌seizes‌‌
on‌‌the‌‌speed‌‌and‌‌versatility‌‌of‌‌new‌‌media‌‌to‌‌evoke‌‌the‌‌prospect‌‌of‌‌radical‌‌transformations‌‌in‌‌what‌‌we‌‌may‌‌
do‌‌(2007‌‌edition)‌ ‌
○ Technological‌‌renewal‌‌(e‌ .g.‌‌disruption,‌‌big‌‌data,‌‌surveillance‌)‌ ‌
○ Books‌‌moving‌‌to‌‌a‌‌new‌‌type‌‌of‌‌society‌‌through‌‌technological‌‌change‌ ‌
○ Positive‌‌sides,‌‌focused‌‌on‌‌positive‌‌outcomes,‌‌but‌‌also‌‌dystopian‌‌views‌‌(e‌ .g.‌‌volatility,‌‌complexity‌)‌ ‌

2‌ ‌

, ● Most‌ ‌recently,‌ ‌there‌ ‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌an‌ ‌explosion‌ ‌of‌ ‌interests‌ ‌in‌ ‌‘social‌ ‌media’,‌ ‌a‌ ‌catch-all‌ ‌label‌ ‌for‌ ‌things‌ ‌like‌‌
blogging,‌ ‌social‌ ‌networking,‌ ‌wikis‌ ‌and‌ ‌internet‌ ‌forums‌ ‌where‌ ‌users‌ ‌can‌ ‌both‌ ‌consume‌ ‌and‌ ‌produce‌‌
information‌ ‌(...).‌ ‌Increasing‌ ‌availability‌ ‌of‌ ‌computer‌ ‌communication‌ ‌technologies,‌ ‌accessed‌ ‌by‌‌easy-to-use‌‌
programmes,‌‌has‌‌led‌‌to‌‌bold‌‌prophecies‌‌about‌‌the‌‌potential‌‌of‌‌‘crowdsourcing’.‌‌ ‌
○ New‌‌developments‌‌in‌‌our‌‌field‌‌(e‌ .g.‌‌social‌‌media‌)‌
○ First‌‌seen‌‌as‌‌something‌‌very‌‌positive,‌‌now‌‌disinformation‌‌and‌‌dystopian‌‌views‌‌ ‌

● (...)‌ ‌I‌ ‌assert‌ ‌the‌ ‌value‌ ‌of‌ ‌my‌ ‌‘theoretical’‌ ‌starting‌ ‌point‌.‌ ‌I‌ ‌intentionally‌ ‌approach‌ ‌an‌ ‌understanding‌ ‌of‌
information‌‌via‌‌encounters‌‌with‌‌‌major‌‌social‌‌theorists‌‌by‌‌way‌‌of‌‌a‌‌riposte‌‌to‌‌a‌‌rash‌‌of‌‌pronouncements‌‌on‌‌
the‌‌information‌‌age.‌‌Far‌‌too‌‌much‌‌of‌‌this‌‌has‌‌come‌‌from‌‌‌‘practical’‌‌men‌‌(and‌‌a‌‌few‌‌women)‌‌who,‌‌‌impressed‌‌
by‌‌the‌‌‘Information‌‌Technology‌‌Revolution’‌,‌‌or‌‌enthused‌‌by‌‌the‌‌Internet,‌‌or‌‌unable‌‌to‌‌imagine‌‌life‌‌without‌‌
email,‌‌or‌‌enraptured‌‌by‌‌bloggers,‌‌or‌‌vowed‌‌by‌‌experiences‌‌that‌‌outdo‌‌the‌‌mundane,‌‌have‌‌felt‌‌able‌‌to‌‌reel‌‌off‌‌
social‌‌and‌‌economic‌‌consequences‌‌that‌‌are‌‌likely,‌‌even‌‌inevitably,‌‌to‌‌follow.‌ ‌
○ Starting‌‌point:‌‌tries‌‌to‌‌give‌‌an‌‌answer‌‌to‌‌‘practical‌‌men’‌‌from‌‌a‌‌social‌‌scientist’s‌‌perspective‌ ‌
○ 2010‌‌Ericsson:‌‌bright‌‌future,‌‌practical‌‌men‌‌impressed‌‌by‌‌technological‌‌development‌ ‌
○ Webster‌‌wants‌‌to‌‌say‌‌‘no,‌‌we‌‌need‌‌to‌‌look‌‌at‌‌theories‌‌and‌‌developments’,‌‌scientific‌‌basis‌ ‌

● Aim‌‌ ‌

An‌ ‌aim‌‌of‌‌approaching‌‌information‌‌of‌‌approaching‌‌ ‌
information‌‌from‌‌an‌‌alternative‌‌starting‌‌point,‌‌that‌‌ ‌
of‌‌contemporary‌‌social‌‌theory‌‌(at‌‌least‌‌that‌‌which‌‌is‌‌ Another‌ ‌aim‌ ‌is‌ ‌to‌ ‌show‌ ‌that‌ ‌social‌ ‌theory,‌‌
combined‌ ‌with‌ ‌empirical‌ ‌evidence),‌ ‌is‌ ‌to‌‌ combined‌ ‌with‌ ‌empirical‌ ‌evidence,‌ ‌is‌ ‌an‌‌
demonstrate‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌social‌ ‌impact‌ ‌approaches‌‌ enormously‌ ‌richer‌,‌ ‌and‌ ‌hence‌ ‌ultimately‌ ‌more‌‌
towards‌ ‌information‌ ‌are‌‌hopelessly‌‌simplistic‌‌and‌‌ practical‌ ‌and‌ ‌useful,‌ ‌way‌ ‌of‌ ‌understanding‌ ‌and‌‌
positively‌ ‌misleading‌ ‌for‌ ‌those‌ ‌who‌ ‌want‌ ‌to‌‌ explaining‌‌recent‌‌trends‌‌in‌‌the‌‌information‌‌domain.‌ ‌
understand‌‌what‌‌is‌‌going‌‌on‌‌and‌‌what‌‌is‌‌most‌‌likely‌‌ ‌
to‌‌transpire‌‌in‌‌the‌‌future.‌ ‌


○ Sometimes‌‌theories‌‌very‌‌positive,‌‌sometimes‌‌theories‌‌that‌‌are‌‌negative‌ ‌
○ Much‌‌more‌‌scientific‌‌perspective‌‌from‌‌social‌‌sciences‌‌ ‌
○ Way‌‌richer,‌‌to‌‌try‌‌to‌‌not‌‌just‌‌stick‌‌to‌‌the‌‌hype,‌‌but‌‌look‌‌further‌ ‌

● Sceptical‌‌view‌‌ ‌

It‌‌needs‌‌to‌‌be‌‌said,‌‌too,‌‌that,‌‌throughout‌‌this‌‌book,‌‌ The‌ ‌information‌ ‌society‌ ‌might‌ ‌be‌‌misleading,‌‌but‌‌
there‌ ‌runs‌ ‌an‌ ‌interrogative‌ ‌and‌ ‌sceptical‌ ‌view‌ ‌of‌‌ it‌ ‌can‌ ‌still‌ ‌have‌ ‌value‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌heuristic‌ ‌sense‌.‌ ‌At‌‌the‌‌
the‌‌information‌‌society‌c‌ oncept‌‌itself.‌ ‌ same‌ ‌time,‌ ‌a‌ ‌major‌ ‌problem‌ ‌is‌ ‌that‌ ‌the‌ ‌concept‌‌
‘information‌‌society’‌‌often‌‌carries‌‌with‌‌it‌‌an‌‌array‌‌of‌‌
suppositions‌ ‌about‌ ‌what‌ ‌has‌ ‌and‌ ‌is‌ ‌changing‌ ‌and‌‌
how‌ ‌change‌ ‌is‌ ‌being‌ ‌affected,‌ ‌yet‌ ‌it‌ ‌is‌ ‌seemingly‌‌
unproblematically‌‌by‌‌a‌‌wide‌‌section‌‌of‌‌opinion.‌ ‌


3‌ ‌