Why is it important to understand the impact of technology on society? Many perspectives on the impact of the internet and other information technologies on society have failed to inform the public. In fact, they suggest that a person must either get on the steamroller or be part of the road. However, individuals can shape information and communication technologies to reinforce their values and interests. Theories of an information society leave the public nothing to decide. They can only prepare for the coming information age. Theories of access, which my colleagues and I are developing, help individuals think about the way in which decisions about how they use email or answering machines can shift more communicative power to them or to others.
What areas of research will you explore at the OII? One area is e-democracy, where my research has focused on the role of the internet in policy advocacy. Is the web enabling citizens to have a greater influence on the policy process? A second is work on the role of new media in higher education and learning, which challenges traditional approaches to campus-based education. Once we get a stream of projects under way, we will develop an innovative degree programme to complement the OII's research interests. Hopefully within five years, we will offer a masters degree in internet studies.
What are the challenges of internet research today? Debate about the internet is beset by many views about whether new technologies will build new communities or isolate individuals, create or destroy jobs, and enable democracy or bring about a surveillance society. Also, research on the internet is too often tied to commercial interests. The OII will conduct research that is independent of commercial concerns. Finally, a great challenge to research on the internet has been the difficulty of convincing leading academics and institutions to take new information and communication technologies seriously. I've pursued research in this area since 1974, but only now, with my appointment at the University of Oxford, do I feel that this burgeoning, multidisciplinary field has come of age.
What is your background? I'm a social scientist and I don't think of myself as tech-oriented at all.
What about gadgets? I'm not so fond of gadgets. I use a paper scheduling system rather than a personal digital assistant. I still use a fountain pen and paper to think through ideas. Too many people writing about technology are just enthusiastic users who don't really think about why they use technology.
What are your favourite websites? Besides the site for my daughter's under-11 girl's soccer team, I don't visit sites regularly. But I nearly always use the same couple of search engines - HotBot and Google. Visit:
