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Control
is about purposeful influence towards a predetermined
goal and can range from absolute control, such as a
dictatorship, to more subtle influences such as the
effect of television advertising.
Since
the Industrial Revolution we
have increased our understanding of the principles
of control, which not only allows us to create more
effective control systems but has also provided insight
into the natural world and human affairs.
At
the heart of control is the processing and distribution
of information. This information could be a mechanical
displacement, an electrical signal, or a letter from
a disgruntled customer.
Computers
make excellent control devices because they translate
information from one form to another. Computers already
control many aspects of our world, yet they are often
hidden from view… We encounter hundreds of these
unseen, tiny embedded chips throughout our
lives in such machines as cash registers, traffic
lights, calculators, personal computers, dishwashers,
and other domestic appliances.
Increasingly,
governments and corporations use computers to process
and control information about people. Yet while information
technology may seem to be the key to an efficient
society, this use of computers also poses problems
and many people are concerned about the potential
for abuse. (Powerhouse Museum, 2001: 9)
Government
and social organisations
Another worry that concerns many people is how we are
governed. The way the country is run and the way society
is structured depends on information. Governments and
social organisations make decisions that affect our
daily lives.
But
what if the information they are basing those decisions
on is wrong, or biased, or is not the whole story? If
an incorrect piece of information gets passed from one
system to many others, how would it ever be possible
to fix the mistake everywhere? There was an example
of this happening in the United States. A man was recorded
as being dead when he wasn't, suddenly his pension stopped,
he couldn't get medication because according to the
system he didn't exist. It was a long complex process
to convince the authorities that he was still alive,
but a relatively simple process to fix the database
and activate his life again.
Industrial
revolution
In the late 1700s and early 1800s in Europe many
new technologies were developed. Some of these technologies
were invented to make things people needed, like
clothes or teacups. Others were invented to improve
transportation, like trains. Some were invented
to help build other machines. This wave of inventions
is associated with changes to the way people lived
and worked. It even changed where most people lived
(in towns instead of in the country). This period
is called the Industrial Revolution. |
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