October 2005 - Vol. 48 No. 10

This special section presents views of a society changing under the influence of advanced information technology. Computers have been around for about half a century and their social effects have been described under many headings. The title "Digital Society" chosen for this collection of articles is intended to call attention to fundamental IT-based transformations in social organization and structure.

Using decennial census data to trace the increase in U.S. information workers from 1950--2000 and examining the role of subtitutional and compositional effects.

A shift in the balance of power brings with it increased potential for influence.

The Internet is not simply a set of interconnected links and protocols---it is also a construct of the imagination, an inkblot test into which everyone projects their desires, fears, and fantasies. Some see enlightenment and education. Others see pornography and gambling. Some see sharing and collaboration. Others see spam and viruses. Yet when it comes to the impact on the democratic process, the answer seems unanimous. The Internet is good for democracy. It creates digital citizens active in the teledemocracy [1] of the Electronic Republic [2] in the e-nation [3]. But this bubble, too, needs to be pricked.

Studying the transformation of education and its changing role in society.

In 2003, the world produced about 800MB of information for each man, woman, and child on earth [2]. Much of this information, such as supermarket scanner data and the like, is pretty dull. But some of it, such as the material contained in books, magazines, newspapers, movies, music, and family photos, is potentially of great interest to people.

Evaluating the potential advantages and considering the risks associated with electronic health care records.

IT is transforming the way governments function and valuable lessons can be learned from the pioneering e-government programs that have led the charge.