Chapter 6 Chapter Overview

This chapter situates communications technology in the broader realm of technology in general. Communications technology (also known as information and communication technology, or ICT) is linked to social, political, and economic control. Chapter 6 begins by defining technology as both the tools we use, as well as the knowledge or understanding of how these tools are used, in social and cultural contexts. This definition emphasizes that our technological devices are firmly situated in socially constructed systems. Canadian scholars Harold Innis and Marsall McLuhan were central to advancing the understanding that the ways in which people communicate may actually shape societies, focusing more on the form of communication than its contents. Innis’ work used the concepts of time bias and space bias to illustrate this notion, while McLuhan adapted these ideas to address the influence of the predominant media in a society (oral, written and electronic) on that society’s structure.

Next, the chapter uses Andrew Feenberg’s work as the basis for considering theoretical perspectives on technology, including instrumentalism, determinism, substantivism, critical theory, and constructivism. These perspectives are considered in terms of the value placed on technology, as well as the degree of human agency exercised in the use and shaping of technology.

While these perspectives illustrate both affordances and constraints of communication technology, Western Society is often seen as being particularly enthusiastic in accepting technology and using it to improve quality of life. This results in the digital divide, the disparities between technological haves and have-nots. Further, media convergence, both in terms of technology and corporate structures, have influenced public policy, which in turn has had a major impact on the particular socio-technical ensembles and the resulting industries with which we now live. Given the technologies and industries currently emerging, providing the greatest social benefit may not involve replicating twentieth-century solutions. The chapter also addresses ways in which the internet creates a new dynamic with regard to policy questions and copyright law.

The social rationales most often used in favour of technological development highlight health and education; however, the realities of technological communication systems generally focus on commercial exploitation over democratization. Some basic concepts to be considered in developing regulation in this area are individual rights, collective rights, privacy, and intellectual property. In order to understand these concepts more effectively, the chapter concludes with a cost-benefit analysis of communications technology from a distinctly Canadian perspective, setting the stage for later chapters to provide more in-depth understanding of the evolution of policy and regulation of our media industries.