Information Age

The Information Age is a historical period that started during the 20th century, from the 1970s. The phase is characterised by computers, putting a significant impact on societies all across the globe.

What is the meaning of the Information Age?

The Information Age, also called the Digital Age, the Computer Age, or New Media Age is the idea of access to and control of all modern-era information. The historical period is characterised by a substantial shift from traditional industry to an economy based upon information technology.

Impacts of the Information Age

The Information Age facilitated many new inventions and innovations in all business sectors, including research & development, computing services, the communication sector, information technology, and many others.

Now, the world has not been the same as before. Many industries have reduced their costs immensely by minimising the hiring of employees and integrating the process with Artificial Intelligence and RPA (Robotic Process Automation).

In addition, many new services like email, texts, social media, and various other innovations have taken place in the modern era, empowered the future and changed the world.

What are the 5 Characteristics of the Information Age?

Although, the list is endless. But, here, we have mentioned some of the basic characteristics of the Information Age:

Mobility- People can carry out tasks and complete their work from any part of the world they have gone to. This empowers you to be free to move even while you are working.
Networks- Networks had made things extraordinarily easier compared to when people had no device/network to communicate with each other.
Immersive Experience- Virtual and Augmented Reality has made users feel like they are stepping into the games by making the environment stimulating.
Internet of Things- The products are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies to facilitate connecting and exchanging data.
Digitisation- The world witnessed a rapid shift from analogue to digital form. It is also called digital enablement, which led to the transformation of several things that existed in a physical form, and now are converted into intangible digital data.

What could be the Consequence of a World with Too Much Information?

Have you ever wondered what could be the consequences of the internet-driven era? Majorly, there are a few contrasting risks of living in the Information Age. The first one is that we are dependent on unknown sources that we do not know are reliable or not. The second is the misuse of your important information and the risk of being hacked, which may weaken social skills and cause massive personal loss.

Besides, the major problems people/organisations/businesses experience in the Information Age include:

1. Easy Access to data has made individuals intellectually lazy as various flaws are attached to analysing data-driven approaches. Big data makes us lazy to find support for any hypothesis we choose to test. It allows extensive processing power to substitute for planning, judging, and executing.

2. Impulsive users are juggling their smartphones. Moreover, the capacity to focus on a specific strategy for companies is difficult due to the hassle-free availability of multiple sources of stimulation. This implies various firms have experienced negative consequences of managing their consumer relationships.

3. With so many information sources and ubiquitous content, many individuals complain that they require more information for further analysis. It is because of the fear of not performing due diligence and opting for easy options to acquire diverse information from distinctive sources.

How To Overcome These Consequences?

So, what can be done to master the issue at hand and acquire the appropriate amount of information? The firms or individuals need to master 'attention management to ensure they are focused on the right issues and not distracted by superfluous intriguing issues.

The second thing is to manage the balance between information and judgement in making dynamic decisions. It is also important to ensure what information to share and what to only keep track of for their benefit.

FAQs

What are the major problems in the Information Age?

The main concerns for the people living in the Information Age are privacy, property, accuracy, and accessibility.

How did the Information Age Start?

The Information Age began by capitalising on computer micro miniaturisation advances, leading to the emergence of modernised information, and simplifying communication processes that became the driving force of social evolution.

Why do we call it the Information Age?

The sole reason is that the modern era lets everyone access information effortlessly. Whatever source of information or knowledge you want to acquire is just a single click away in the Information Age. However, before the Information Age, it was very challenging or barely possible to access any information.

Who is the father of the Information Age?

Claude Shannon is said to be the father of the Information Age.

What are the 4 periods of the Information Age?

The Information Age is divided into 4 main ages: