Information Ecology
We define an information ecology to be a system of people, practices, values and technologies in a particular local environment. In information ecologies, the spotlight is not on technology, but on human activities that are served by technology (Nardi & Day, 1999).
I have long believed that the description of the internet as groups of connected computers was a slightly skewed one. By not acknowledging the people behind those computers does not do the internet justice. So to find a metaphor to describe my thoughts was, to use another metaphor, a wonderful lightbulb moment.
I also like that it carries on the “nature” metaphor of the surfing the web, working in the cloud, etc.
But just like in many other systems, there are the haves and the have nots – and in this ecosystem there are the information rich and the information poor (I would also argue that there are the techno rich and techno poor as well).
I came across this wonderful site in my travels called FAT (Feminist Approach to Technology) which is an organisation that is committed to empowering women through technology. I also saw an inspiring news story where the Indian government had placed computers in villages especially for children to learn how to use them (with yellow awnings in place at just the right height to discourage adults from using the terminals :)). It will be these types of organisations and initiatives that help address the imbalance between the haves and the have nots.
There should be a place for everyone in the Information Ecosystem, mainstream and alternative, a closed system is a dead system.
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