The Role of the Internet in the Development of the Information Society

The 20th century was considered the century of industrialization, and all efforts of states were directed towards the development of this sector. At that time, all changes and progress were associated with industry. However, in the second half of the 20th century, a different structure of modern society emerged. In the 1960s, a group of supporters of the industrialization theory, during their research, concluded that information is the driving force of society.

This concept was first introduced into science in Japan in 1961 by Kisho Kurokawa and Tadao Umesao. Later, based on the theory of the “information society,” its practical implementation began in Japan and the USA. The most renowned theorists of the “information society” are recognized as M. Porat, Y. Masuda, T. Stonier, and R. Katz.

This means that the Internet forms the foundation of the information society and is the most important factor in the development of vital sectors for humanity in the modern age. Although the widespread use of the Internet and the growing influence of information have brought many threats to societies, the positive aspects of the Internet as a mass communication network have always played and continue to play a constructive role. This primarily stems from the fact that the 21st century has become the age of electronic wonders, which in turn has had a significant impact on the fields of information and communication.

Experience has shown that in the near future, the scale of this progress and development could increase many times over. In today’s world, the Internet has become a powerful and versatile force. For this reason, within the framework of the information society, the Internet contributes to the improvement of government structures, better utilization of the society’s material and human resources, increased production efficiency for the development of complex educational services, and helps to save natural resources and protect the environment.

In other words, the information society is gradually transforming into a “smart” society. By properly utilizing the vast potential of the Internet and having a reasonable understanding of the characteristics of the information society, several major goals can be achieved, including:

• increasing the role of information, data, and information technologies in public life;
• creating jobs for society, developing information resources and services;
• providing society with accurate and reliable information, and fostering constructive public opinion;
• improving the efficiency of people’s interactions and access to global information;
• developing the information economy, e-government, digital markets, and social and group electronic networks;

Information society is also referred to as post-industrial or post-industrial society, and its realization depends on countries with good economic development. Fortunately, the Republic of Tajikistan is not left out of these processes and shows significant economic growth. Additionally, the government of the country has shown particular attention to the implementation of information and communication technologies, prioritizing the provision of quality internet as one of the key aspects of economic and social development.

To effectively implement e-government, digital economy, and utilize internet opportunities across all sectors, extensive practical work has been carried out. All of this indicates that an information society is also developing in our country. At the same time, citizens need to purposefully and effectively utilize internet opportunities with an understanding of their importance to participate in the process of developing the information society.

Maruf Nazarzoda, journalist