TC 9 - Relationship between Computers and Society - Aims and Scopes

est. 1976

AIMS

To influence the applications of computers with respect to individuals, groups, institutions and society. It is not concerned with computer developments which are strictly technical, or developments in which there is no scientific or technical component. 

SCOPE

*    Communicating Social Consequences:
promote communication between computer-related professionals and others on relationships between computer technology and society.

*    Promoting Social Accountability:
help computer professionals to develop increasing awareness of the social consequences of their work, within IFIP and in the profession at large.

*    Facilitating Research:
encourage studies on the effects of the uses of computers on individuals and society.

*    Humanizing Information Systems:
examine how the needs of individuals and society affect the design of technical systems involving computers.

*    Enhancing the Quality of Life:
identify and promote those uses of information processing which improve the quality of life of individuals and of society as a whole.

*    Encouraging Responsible Long-Range Planning:
promote forecasting studies to disseminate early warnings on human consequences of the use of computers, and encourage the development of long-range social plans to ensure that the use results in human benefits. 


WG 9.1 - Computers and Work
est. 1977

AIMS

*    to study and report on how computers have affected employment levels, job content and structure, working conditions, career patterns, and participation problems;

*    to give an account of problems relating to computers and work, and of proposed measures for dealing with these problems;

*    to encourage and support the design and development of systems which promote not only efficiency but provide job satisfaction, for example through interesting work and reduction of stress. 

SCOPE

The effects of computerization on the lives of three distinct groups of person:

*    computer professionals,

*    users of computers,

*    non-users affected by computers. 


WG 9.2 - Social Accountability
est. 1977

AIMS

*    helping make computer professionals and system designers and others aware of the social consequences of their work;

*    developing criteria to determine how well the public is served when it comes into contact with computerized systems;

*    enabling and encouraging designers and users of computer systems to make a human choice, i.e. a choice which takes into account human needs and wishes. 

SCOPE

Those aspects of computers which affect the public interest. Among these are:

*    ethical issues arising out of the use of computers,

*    the freedom of access to information, as well as the right to privacy and to the protection of sensitive data,

*    shifts in the balance of power arising out of the use of computers,

*    the effects of computers in public and private organisations,

*    education of the public about computers, and of computer professionals about the effects of their work. 


WG 9.3 - Home-Oriented Informatics and Telematics
est. 1988, revised 1989

AIMS

*    Foster benevolent design, develop-ment, implementation, applications and use of Home-Oriented Informatics and Telematics (HOIT).

*    Encourage surveys and studies on HOIT.

*    Develop methodologies for studying social implications of HOIT.

*    Establish a global platform for interaction, exchange, joint initiatives and co-operation between such groups as:
- the end of users of HOIT: members of households
- industrial developers and designers of HOIT technology and related services
- implementation designers
- policy, decision making, social and consultative bodies
- architects and urban planners
- scientists. 

SCOPE

The social implications of informatics, communications and telematics in the home, the family and its environment (HOIT);

including:

*    actual and potential human usefulness of HOIT;

*    social impact of these technologies and their applications;

*    developments of the underlying infrastructure;

*    rationale in innovation and design processes;

*    dynamics of technology development.

WG 9.3 explicitly cares about the position of and the potentials for vulnerable groups like children, less-educated, disabled, elderly and non-employed people, paid and non-paid workers at home, cultural minorities, unaware users and others. 


WG 9.4 - Social Implications of Computers in Developing Countries
est. 1989, revised 2007

AIMS

*    to collect, exchange and disseminate experiences of information and communications technology (ICT) implementation in developing countries;

*    to develop a consciousness amongst professionals, policy makers and public on social implications of ICT in developing nations;

*    to develop criteria, theory, methods, and guidelines for design and implementation of culturally adapted information systems;

*    to create a greater interest in professionals from industrialized countries to focus on issues of special relevance to developing countries through joint activities with other Technical Committees.

SCOPE

*    national ICT policy issues;

*    culturally adapted computer technology and information systems;

*    role of transnational corporations, regional and international cooperation and self-sufficiency in informatics;

*    social awareness of ICT and ICT literacy. 


WG 9.5 - Applications and Social Implications of Virtual Worlds
est. 1989, revised 1999, 2000

AIMS

This WG works about international trends in interactive media and virtual reality, their philosophical foundations and the impact of these technologies on culture and society.
The WG will discuss in workshops and conferences applications and social implications of these emerging technologies.

SCOPE

The topics cover interdisciplinary aspects and interrelations in the field of multimedia and virtual reality between fine arts, computer science, design, philosophy, man-machine interaction, historical aspects, technology assessment. We are welcoming case studies on and experiences with virtual reality systems e.g. in medicine, architecture, industry, education, entertainment, information spaces.

*    Applications of virtual worlds and their social implications,

*    Social application of virtual worlds,

*    Virtual environments for learning and communication like virtual universities, knowledge cities, virtual laboratories,

*    Opportunities and risks of virtual environments in education, science, and

*    Culture in industrialized and developing countries


WG 9.6/11.7 - Information Technology Mis-Use and the Law
est. 1990, revised 1992, 2001

AIMS 

*    To foster co-operation between the "Computers and Society" and "Information Security" communities on issues of "IT misuse and the law".

*    To develop an understanding in IFIP committees and national bodies of:

*    threats associated with IT systems and the related legal concerns.

*    risks to people and organisations arising from these threats.

*    responsibilities of people and organisations arising from legal and other provisions for information security.

*    risks arising from incoherency between legal, technical and managerial provisions.

*    the impact of IT systems on the current law, e.g. (criminal and civil law) and potential problems.

*    To propose and/or evaluate legal and other prescriptions to combat these threats and their associated risks.

*    To engender information exchange on threats, their origins, and possible consequences.

*    To propose and/or evaluate legal and other appropriate courses of action.

SCOPE

*    Analysis of existing and emerging threats to IT systems security, and the associated risks to people, organisations and society.

*    Analysis of security principles.

*    Aspects of the law where the use or introduction of IT on a global scale has rendered the current law (and/or its interpretations) obsolete or obsolescent or made it unenforcable.

*    Analysis of potential means of countering and mitigating threats, e.g. legal frameworks, ethical standards, managerial procedures, and other social factors applicable to behaviour and responsibilities in the context of IT systems.

*    Possible solutions.

*    New legal, social and organisational consequences of the development and use of IT systems.


WG 9.7 - History of Computing
est. 1992

AIMS

*    To provide a central vehicle for information interchange regarding the methods and techniques of historio-graphy, especially as related to the opportunities for the studies of contemporary history.

*    To provide expertise for the design, implementation and operation of archives and displays related to the history of information processing.

*    To encourage the development of national archives.

*    To develop a program of &132;Pioneers' Days" which recognize the contribution of pioneers and anniversaries of major events.

*    To identify pioneers worthy of an appreciation and distinction and make "IFIP Pioneer Awards".

*    To develop publication plans for histories of Information Processing.

*    To promote the inclusion of historical modules in appropriate curricula. 

SCOPE

The history of computing and informatics with a view to providing the impetus to preserve the records and artifacts of information processing inventions, practices and activities throughout the world under the auspices of IFIP and its constituent organizations. One special focus is the socio-historical context and consequences of Information Technologies. 


WG 9.8 Women and Information Technology
est. 2001

AIMS

This WG is dedicated to research and action how different areas of society being transformed by computer technology with particular emphasis on changes in women’s work and life and how these have come about. It is based on the integration of gender studies and computer science. Membership is open to both women and men.

In this context the WG aims

*    to serve as an international, interdisciplinary communication forum and to hold discussions in workshops and conferences,

*    to exchange women’s experiences as scholars and professionals in information technology,

*    to integrate feminist perspectives into computer science,

*    to develop an understanding in the IFIP communities and national bodies of the gendered aspects in design, realisation, and implementation of information systems,

*    to propose and/or evaluate appropriate courses of action.

SCOPE

The topics cover the transitions from women’s traditional work to work based on modern technology, from communication within personal communities to virtual communities, from traditional gendered life to new gendered perspectives. Computerisation is understood in the narrow sense of computing systems as well as in the broader sense which includes the organisational, ethical, and social context of design and usage.

Discourses are linked to

*    the analysis of the effects of computer technology on women’s status as citizens,

*    the analysis of opportunities and risks of computerised technologies for women’s work in the paid labour force and in domestic spheres,

*    the analysis of gender perspectives in the formative and constructive processes of computers and information systems,

*    the analysis of gender in computing education and educational strategies for girls and women.
 


WG 9.9 ICT and Sustainable Development
est. 2005

AIMS

*    To contribute to the development of an information society that meets the human needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

*    To be actively involved in the development of ICT applications which involve the goal of sustainable development.

*    To investigate the interactionamong social, environmental and economic issues in the development of ICTs and their applications.

*    To promote worldwide research and practice for further advancement of ICT towards a safe and sustainable self developing World

*    To strengthen inderdisciplinary research efforts in technology assessment for ICTs with a focus on ICT-induced opportunities and risks for the individual, for social systems and for the global ecosystem.

*    To provide a platform for presenting and discussing emerging ideas and trends in the intersection of the topics 'information society' and 'sustainable development'.

*    To promote or support the organization of meetings as well as easy access to high-quality data, information and knowledge in this area and related areas.

SCOPE

*    To create a network of experts working on ICT applications or implications related to sustainable development

*    To support the coordination of policies related to information society issues with policies related to sustanable development

*    To support applications of ICT for global environmental and development issues

*    To facilitate research assessing the environmental and health impacts

            a) of ICT hardware life cycles; production, use, recycling and final disposal
            b) of ICT applications with respect to the resource efficiency of processes they influence
            c) of ICT-induced long-term changes of consumption patterns or lifestyles.

*    To promote the communication between computer professionals and other experts on relationships between ICT and sustainable development

*    To promote prospective studies to disseminate early warnings on consequences of applications of ICT that could compromise the goal of sustainable development, and encourage the development of strategies to ensure that ICT applications will contribute to sustainable development.