Knowledgeability and democracy in an information age

Abstract

Critically examines claims for the use of information and communication technologies for the easy availability of information and so for the improvement of citizen participation in democratic processes. Examines the quality as opposed to the quantity of information available and discusses the nature of the information infrastructure as envisioned in the New Library: The People’s Network report against the historical reality of the failure of established systems to fulfill their potential and the characteristics of the present information environment. Considers attacks on the established public library system and discusses the nature of official information as embodied in official statistics. Examines the commercialisation of broadcasting, the decline of public service broadcasting and the failure of radio and television to develop in private hands into vehicles for mass education, concluding that where quality of content is paramount for information purposes over techniques of presentation, the claims for technological solutions for the information age are overstated.

Citation

Webster, F. (1999), "Knowledgeability and democracy in an information age", Library Review, Vol. 48 No. 8, pp. 373-383. https://doi.org/10.1108/00242539910288764