ABSTRACT
Changes in technology have driven the development of new communication media.
McLuhan’s phrase ‘The medium is the message’
encapsulates the fact that the form of a
medium embeds itself in the message, creating a symbiotic relationship by which the
medium influences how the message is perceived over time. Different media invite
different degrees of participation on the part of a person who chooses to consume that
medium. But the fast spread of new information technology often means that we fail to
notice the structural changes in our affairs. Access to new technology also leads to a
series of questions about what kind of information is available, whether information
promotes an increase in real knowledge, and, perhaps most importantly, how are the
relations of power in a society affected by the growth of information and communication
technologies (ICTs)?
