Some of the issues that surround the advancing Information Age are considered here. It is evident from this discussion that perceptions of what is appropriate and beneficial may be very different to what really is appropriate and beneficial. What can go wrong ICT is not without its problems or its disasters. Many of these issues tend to go unnoticed unless they result in some newsworthy story. Recent press stories include those about the Melissa computer virus that infected more than 100,000 mostly corporate PCs within only three days and one of the most destructive known viruses, the Chernobyl virus which infected over one million PCs mainly in countries with developing and transitional economies.
Computer abuse is an increasingly serious problem.
Two illustrations as to what can go wrong are briefly discussed here. There are concerns about the accuracy of information held within computer systems. The potential impact is exacerbated as the distribution and use of information has become global rather than the localised focus of older media. The inputting of raw data is prone to error with the natural error rate for an experienced keyboard operator being one keystroke in 100. If people were wary of these potential errors then maybe pressure would be brought to bear to minimise this danger but there is a tendency by the public to treat computer-generated information with a degree of blind faith.