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Rating: 
Summary: Slightly-dated, but a GREAT overview of the issues
Review: A part of the "Opposing Viewpoints" series, "The Information Revolution" is a compilation of 18 articles (written by different authors including noted scholars, government officials and business leaders, and drawn from various journals, magazines, presentations, reports, etc.) which addresses many topics dealing with the on-going Information Revolution and its effect on today's society. An interesting book, it gives the reader a well rounded grounding into the issues that surround the Internet from including its effect on education and the workplace to other social issues such as privacy invasion, copyright infringement, the first amendment and the posting of controversial content online, to universal access and the issue of "haves" and "have nots." Reading this book gives any reader an appreciation for the controversy that is the Internet and the resulting Information Revolution. In the process of reading this book the reader gains an appreciation for and an introduction to the Internet and the impact it has had on society in such a short period of time. The articles are presented in point-counterpoint format which is very accessible, addressing for major topics: the Information Revolution's effect on society, its effect on education, its effect on the workplace and its effect on human rights. These are the topics the book addresses: 1.Will the Information Revolution benefit society? 2.Is society suffering from information overload? 3.Will it transform education? 4.Should schools emphasize computer education or not? 5.What will its effect be on the University system? 6.Will it transform the workplace? 7.What will its effect be on jobs? 8.Will it create a society of "have" and "have nots?" 9.Does it threaten people's right to privacy? 10.What is the constitutionality of banning indecent content? 11.What will its effect be on intellectual property rights? In addition the book also contains a bibliography of sources and list of agencies' contact addresses which are beneficial to students doing research. Written back in the mid-1990s some of the technological issues and problems discussed have already come to pass and been resolved. However, the social issues that are discussed are still very relevant even today, a few years down the road. Overall, this book is a GREAT introduction to the Internet and its many problems and issues. The articles, though at times some are a little inaccessible, are very thought-provoking and at times the revelations of quite shocking. You get a good picture as to "both sides" of the issue and therefore get a deeper understanding of the many problems and concerns the Information Revolution has brought about. I read this book as a supplementary text for a telecommunications course I took back in 1998. It is a great overview to Internet issues and a great tool for discussion and critical thinking. In sum, it is worth a read. Recommended.
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