Open AccessThe digital economy and society: a preliminary commentary
Author(s) -
Peter Gluckman
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
policy quarterly
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2324-1101
pISSN - 2324-1098
DOI - 10.26686/pq.v14i1.4763
Subject(s) - scope (computer science) , industrial revolution , digital revolution , technological change , technological revolution , emerging technologies , set (abstract data type) , digital era , economy , engineering , business , political science , economics , computer science , the internet , telecommunications , law , artificial intelligence , programming language , world wide web
Virtually all technologies that humans have invented or will invent present both benefits and risks. The history of humankind is that of invention, development and exploitation of technologies while managing their downsides. However, it is the speed, scope and pervasiveness of digital technological change across virtually every aspect of human endeavour that generate an enormous array of possible implications. Such characteristics undoubtedly set the digital revolution (sometimes called the fourth industrial revolution) apart from past technological revolutions in the way they challenge aspects of human behaviour and social institutions.