Chapter 2.

Recent Advances and Trends in

Science and Technology
2.1 The Information Age
From Gutenberg to Social Media

From manually printed news papers and other

related articles by Gutenberg to the news articles Learning Outcomes:
and other literary pieces you access and read at Familiarize themselves with the
the tip of your fingertips the process of pre Gutenberg world, Gutenberg
disseminating information sure has become free Revolution and post-Gutenburg
and limitless. World;
Link learned concepts to the
In this part of the module we are going to look
back on our previous topics about the different development; and
developments in the information age and its Illustrate how social media and
various impact onto our society. We are also information age affected our
going to reflect how social media and the society.
information age have revolutionized our way of
living.

THE PRE-GUTENBERG WORLD

In early times, books were created manually by hand. They were transcribed through clay, papyrus, wax,
and parchment. Besides, governments chose only to whom will be given the education to read. They were scared
that the influence of mass communication will be the hindrance in their ruling. The transmission of information
relied only through "word-of-mouth" channels. In 1440, the first printing press was built through Johannes
Gutenberg which heralded the start of mass communication. However, it took hundred years for this to spread.

THE GUTENBERG REVOLUTION

"The printing press was an important step towards the democratization of knowledge“ Eisenstein, 1969.
According to the researchers. Gutenberg Revolution is a term used to express the democratizing effects of the
invention of the printing press among society. The invention of the printing press allowed for worldwide changes
to take place. Democracy was born through the invention of the printing press and the effects it had on society. It
allowed people to have a voice who weren't able to spread their messages before. Although the distribution of
information becomes possible, it is expensive and only a few can afford it. Hence, to satisfy the needs of every
one, distribution of information was institutionalized and mediated.

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THE POST-GUTENBERG WORLD

On the other laws, the dispersal of information took a long time through printing press. In 1920, the radio
broadcasting was introduced. It marked a significant jump in the speed of communication. It made the spreading of
information even more quickly and widely. However, in the 197Os, the Information Age accelerated global
communication. It started when the microprocessor began and took it as the introduction to the Internet Browser,
which made the Information Age significant to up to this day.

In the early times of the internet, it still follows Gutenberg Principle. Both money and expertise are required
for you to be able to access the internet and spread information and was therefore still the greater access to
information was not fulfilled. However, the speed in accessing the information through internet was great. For that
reason, many investments appears to serve and create opportunities with e-commerce as the major new web - based
phenomena.

According to Stacy (2008), the development of internet in our world, changed 2 major expansion:
First, uploading and downloading of different forms of media, such as image, videos, and audios, were now
possible through internet access. Second, spreading and publishing of information were now much easy because of
different tools. This time, information can now be on the hand of every individual and all the potential individuals.
This is called as the Post - Gutenberg Principle or Social Information Principle (Stacy, 2008).

INFORMATION AGE

Man has always the need for communication and continuous exchange of information This need is motivated
by man's need of belongingness to a society, giving and receiving instructions and precautions, giving comfort and
encouragement and improving everyday ways and means. But it was not easy to do this especially in the early times
because of distance, time, and location that
communication and exchange of information can take a long time before it gets to the receiving end.
Man has employed different strategies to combat this issue by using different signals such as fire, flags, drums,
and writings on clay or stone tablets. Some even employed some animals to deliver messages like horses with a rider
messenger or a messenger pigeon. But still, waiting for the message to reached the receiver, and waiting for the
response to come was not always easy.
The discoveries and inventions on communication and information technology have greatly helped to this
constant need of man. There are three distinct historical periods for this revolution of information technology
(Washington, DC. Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (OASD), Command & Control Research Program
(CCRP), 1997). The first modern information revolution began in the mid-nineteenth century and includes telegraph,
telephone, and radio. These three inventions have greatly helped in improving the people's lives. Businesses,
government, military, and foreign policy establishments were able to communicate easier.
The second modern information revolution followed the first one and extended until the mid-20 th century and
includes television, early generation computers, and satellites. These inventions have greatly improved
communication and have bypassed even further distances in a faster time. The industrial society and governmental
affairs have greatly benefited from this, saving so much money that was at first spent over communication and
exchange of information.
The third modern information revolution probably began in the 1980s and has surpassed the two other
revolutions. This age which includes our time is now called as the "knowledge revolution." This includes advance
information technologies and has a remarkable impact in the politics, economics, sociology, and culture knowledge
creation and distribution.

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 The information age has a big impact in the society in that a lot of e usually spent on ensuring that the
message has reached the receiving end and deciphering the message is correct is now saved. Communication has
become more effective and efficient. Goods are easily made by the producers and easily sold to the wholesalers
then to the retailers and finally to the individual consumers. Businesses flourished and it has greatly helped
improve every nation's economy. Governments have also improved their ways of handling their political affairs be
it locally or internationally. Military affairs have become so much easier as well. A lot of wars were prevented
because of more effective and timely communication. Lay people also experienced the instant messaging world
that loved ones living far away can now instantly be reached by one click.

SOCIAL MEDIA AND ITS IMPACT TO THE SOCIETY

According to Brown (2018), among the three billion people around the world, 40 % uses online social
media. Social media users spend an average of two hours every day tweeting or liking posts in different platforms.
Social media has become a form of virtual reality and a form of escape from the tyranny of life. Geographical
distance is no longer a hindrance in communicating with other people around the globe. Ideas become more fluid
making censorship next to impossible.
According to Merriam-Webster (2016), social media is defined as a form of electronic communication
wherein the users share information, ideas and even videos by creating online communities. It is an internet-based
medium intended for sharing information. Social media is not only a communication tool but it also serves as an
avenue for collaboration and reviewing of information an opinions. In commerce, social media also serve as a
brand monitoring tool that help boosts their sales. The entertainment and gaming industry has already joined the
wagon.
Mark Schaefer (2011), an author, blogger and Social Media Marketing consultant cited a summary in his
blog how the world has changed because of social media.

- Social media made the society less individualistic and traditional groups more reinforced.
- In education, including informal learning, social media served as an important catalyst.
- Selfies shared in social media send different messages worldwide.
- In the world of social media, online equality is different from offline equality.
- Not the company, but the people who uses social media define its functionality.
- The public social media can be viewed as traditionalist or conservative.
- Posted photos and use of emojis in social media has shifted human communication.
- The world became less homogenous because of social media.
- Personal commerce has been greatly promoted with the help of social media.
- Group-communication arise because of social media.
- Social media, for some, served as their online "homes".
- Gender Relations has been profoundly affected by social media.
- Human conversations and relationships are now polymedia.
- Memes in social media served as Moral Police that has set the standards of normal behavior among
the general public.
- Social media is a privacy threat, but not for the non-users.

In general, social media and the advancement of information technology has greatly influenced daily living
of people. May it serve as an advantage or disadvantage, the society must learn how to still manage to be in
control in all of this.

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