Category Archives: Social Impact

Authority Unloaded: No Limits to Information Overload

Posted on March 29, 2012 by GilPress

“The forward-thinking librarian understands that Shirky’s ‘everybody’s coming’ is the future. We are now living in the chaotic world, and we do not have a choice regarding where we can position ourselves. Our choice lies in how we respond. If … Continue reading →

Posted in Information Overload, Quotes, Social Impact | Leave a comment

Data, Information, Knowledge, Web

Posted on March 28, 2012 by GilPress

                  “Darwin spent five years sailing in a small boat, Galileo defied the Pope, and Madame Curie handled radioactive materials, all in pursuit of knowledge as the most profound of human goals. … Continue reading →

Posted in Social Impact, World Wide Web | Leave a comment

Data Mania, 1971

Posted on March 20, 2012 by GilPress

“Too many information handlers seem to measure a man by the number of bits of storage capacity his dossier will occupy… The new information technologies seem to have given birth to a new social virus – ‘data mania.’ It symptoms are … Continue reading →

Posted in Big Data, Quotes, Social Impact | 1 Comment

Texting Teens

Posted on March 19, 2012 by GilPress

Pew Internet reported today that texting is the dominant daily mode of communication between teens and all those with whom they communicate. The volume of texting among teens has risen from 50 texts a day in 2009 to 60 texts for … Continue reading →

Posted in Mobile, Social Impact | Leave a comment

Maps and Wars

Posted on March 4, 2012 by GilPress

In 1748, the first systematic national topographical survey in France (and the first of its kind in Europe) culminated in the publication of the 182-sheet Carte geometrique de la France. On inspection, Louis XV remarked that the more accurate data … Continue reading →

Posted in Digitization, Google, Maps, Social Impact | Leave a comment

Education Spoiled, Purpose Lost

Posted on February 22, 2012 by GilPress

“Most people are mirrors, reflecting the moods and emotions of the times; few are windows, bringing light to bear on the dark corners where troubles fester. The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.”–Sydney J. Harris, journalist … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Quotes, Social Impact | Leave a comment

Sound Recording Copyrights

Posted on February 15, 2012 by GilPress

Fifty years ago today, the Sound Recording Act of 1971 went into effect, extending federal copyright protection to sound recordings.  A sound recording is a derivative work of the preexisting musical work, and to obtain a copyright in a sound … Continue reading →

Posted in Copyrights, Economic Impact, Law, music, Social Impact, This day in information | Leave a comment

Online Love

Posted on February 14, 2012 by GilPress

“More singles met the last person they dated through an online dating site (21%) than anywhere else.  Across all age groups, seven times as many singles met their last date online, compared to being set up by a relative.”–Match.com’s second … Continue reading →

Posted in Social Impact, Statistics, The InfoStory Quant | 2 Comments

Race Against the Machine

Posted on February 10, 2012 by GilPress

Today in 1996, Deep Blue became the first machine to win a chess game against a reigning world champion, Garry Kasparov, under regular time controls. “As technology continues to advance in the second half of the chessboard, taking on jobs and … Continue reading →

Posted in Artificial Intelligence, Social Impact, This day in information | Leave a comment

First Internet Protest

Posted on February 8, 2012 by GilPress

Today in 1996, “24 Hours in Cyberspace” was the largest one-day online event up to that date. Time Magazine: “Rick Smolan’s 24 Hours In Cyberspace was supposed to be a round-the-clock, planet-spanning online party, a feel-good cyberfest celebrating the paradigm-shifting possibilities … Continue reading →

Posted in Censorship, Law, Social Impact, This day in information | Leave a comment