Modern technologies and information as primary elements of the knowledge society (A theoretical dimension of the information society) Anna Sitek Department of Rural Sociology Nicolaus Copernicus University, NCU Toruń, Poland ania-sitek@wp.pl Abstract- Nowadays we live in the information society, which the specificity and phenomenon is based on ability of using new technology in everyday live. Therefore this work will be an expression of the belief that information society, at the beginning of new millennium, is facing the challenge of global computerization process. And in this case it could be a background for the development of net society. The main goal of this article is to show the diversity of the information society and to describe its specifics. Furthermore, the context of the newly built society, outlined in that way, gained a special importance because among the global society we can enumerate a lot of countries that are just entering a new type of social formation. Keywords: information society, web society, motern technologies, digital exclusion, computerization, digitalization, Manuel Castells I. INTRODUCTION The civilization which we have built by approaching the twenty-first century is not the material civilization which is symbolized by the huge structures but it is the information civilization based on invisible to the naked eye systems, the power which is hidden in a miniature components and the power of the human reason. Yoneji Masuda Cumputopia 1983 1 We live in the information society, specifically characterised by the phenomenon of the introduction into all spheres of everyday life of technological innovations, whose 1 Chmielewska, Joanna and others. 2008. E-entrepreneurship. Teleworking and remote services. Krakow: Małopolska Regional Development Agency, p. 7. usage enrich processes that take place in society and change the image and texture of its civilization. The society of 21st century, namely the information society, is not only connected with modern technology and the Internet, it is primarily a new type of social formation in which the most valuable resources are information and skillful application of knowledge. In fact, as Daniel Bell said, the most important issue in the postindustrial society is that knowledge and information are becoming a source of strategy and transformation of society, which is the same as labour and capital in the industrial society 2 . In the early years of the new millennium that we are facing quite a challenge as posed by the global process of computerization. This article will be dedicated to the theoretical considerations of the concept of the information society. At the very beginning of our intellectual journey, it should be noted that this problem is an interdisciplinary issue, which generates a lot of problems for its clear definition. II. INFORMATION SOCIETY – WAY OF DEFINING The term information society came into existence after World War II as a result of perceiving the role of information in society. The first concept of the information society was found in Japan in the second half of the 20th century. For the first time this term was used by ethnologist Tadao Umesao in 1963 but its popularization took place in 1968, when Kenichi Kayama published his work entitled Introduction to Information Theory. Since then this concept has been used to determine the society of the future - the post-industrial society. Although the pioneers of the given name - the information society - were the Japanese, it should be noted that the exact characteristics were at first introduced by Americans. The greatest achievements concerning this matter should be attributed to Machlup Fritz who in his idea emphasized that a central place in the society is owned by the education system and mass media. In addition, he wrote that the whole system is based on such values as: production, collection and distribution of information, which altogether form a new 2 http://www.ithink.pl/artykuly/biznes/nauka/spoleczenstwo-informacyjne -marzenia-i-obawy/ SECTION ICT in medicine, humanities, education, science, etc. I TIC Information and Communication Technologies The 3rd International Virtual Conference http://www.ictic.sk Conference of Informatics and Management Sciences March, 24. - 28. 2014 - 358 -