Many challenges lie ahead in the development of a global information society. Culture and democracy are two areas which may be under particular threat. The book reflects on today's complex and uncertain cultural and democratic developments arising as a result of an increasingly global, technologically-connected world. In particular it focuses on the Internet, examining new metaphors for communication, defining the issues at stake and proposing options, actions and solutions. Among the issues discussed were: multi-cultural developments; cultural sensitivities and the involvement of cultural minorities; generation gaps; gender issues; technology access for the elderly and the disabled; technology transfer.

Inhalt
Culture and democracy revisited in the global information society: Summary of a position paper.- Ethics.- A charter for citizens of the global information society.- Information technology and ethics.- Much Ado about Nothing: The Internet Dream.- An analysis of ethical awareness related to computers and information technology of people in the Bangkok metropolis.- Global Information Society.- The global information society: Some reflections on labour and work.- Global digital commerce: Impacts and risks for developments of global information societies.- Going to the future.- Moving towards the millennium: Will information technology take democracy into the 21st century?.- Information assets as a platform for economic growth.- Technology, economic development, and sustainability: The case of Latin America.- Cultural Challenges.- Information society and Greek society: Socio-cultural and political incompatibilities.- Just-in-time open and distant training offers must match market and learners requirements.- What does it mean to be 'virtual'?.- Information technology for persons with a disability: A vision for the International Federation for Information Processing.- Gardening: A metaphor for sustainability in information technology-technical support.- Information society and civil society: Non-governmental organizations and computer-mediated communication in Latin America.- Culture and communication The interplay in the new public commons: Usenet and community networks.- On cultures and information technology applications in organizations.- The role of Ukrainian universities in the development of the global information society.- Democratic Challenges.- Ethical and social issues of 'teleservices' for disabled and elderly people.- The global information society andthe implications of self-organization.- Information highways: A threat to democracy?.- Privacy at risk in the global information society.- The politics of privacy on the global information highway.- Growing old in an information society.- The Concept of the Agora.- The Internet: A new agora?.- DEMOS: Democratic evaluation of multiple options in society.- Historical and topographical amnesia on the information highway: Metaphors and tacit knowledge.- The role of the Internet both as an ancient agora and a French café for the humanities.- A self-regulated Internet community.- Recommendations.- Recommendations: From sand, through silver, to gold plates.