Cyberspace Divide

The dramatic advances in computer and telecommunications technologies such as the Internet, virtual reality, smart cards or multimedia applications are increasingly regarded as ushering in a new form of society: the information society. Politicians, policy makers and business gurus are all encouraging us to join the information superhighway at the nearest junction or risk being excluded from the social and economic benefits of the information revolution. Cyberspace Divide critically considers the complex relationship between technological change, its effect upon social divisions, its consequences for social action and the emerging strategies for social inclusion in the Information Age. Cyberspace Divide will be invaluable reading for those studying social policy, sociology, computing and communication studies.

Brian Loader is Co-Director of the Community Information Research and Applications Unit at the University of Teesside