--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The concept of the \"information society\"…" description: "\"The concept of the \"information society\" is both vague and all-embracing. Different participants meant different things by it. In practice, though, Wor..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/david-souter-41559_aspect_the-concept-of-the-information-society-i_195869.png" --- # The concept of the "information society" is both vague and… ![“The concept of the "information society" is both vague and all-embracing. Different participants meant different things by it. In practice, though, World Summit on the Information Society only dealt with a small number of issues: ICTs and human rights (to some extent), ICTs and development (to…” quote by David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/david-souter-41559_aspect_the-concept-of-the-information-society-i_195869.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/david-souter-41559_aspect_the-concept-of-the-information-society-i_195869.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/david-souter-41559_aspect_the-concept-of-the-information-society-i_195869.png) > “The concept of the "information society" is both vague and all-embracing. Different participants meant different things by it. In practice, though, World Summit on the Information Society only dealt with a small number of issues: ICTs and human rights (to some extent), ICTs and development (to some extent), infrastructure finance and Internet governance. Very large aspects of what might have been included in the "information society" were not really discussed.” [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The term “information society” is vague; the summit focused narrowly on ICTs, human rights, development, finance, and governance, leaving many aspects unaddressed. **In simple terms:** The concept is broad, but the summit covered only a few topics. Key Takeaway Broaden discussion beyond limited agenda. Themes information age policy scope technology governance Mood analytical critical Type policy technological When to use this quote - government meetings - tech conferences - policy drafting Key Concepts digital divide human rights development policy Questions to Reflect On - What topics were omitted that should be included? - How can future summits be more inclusive? A Different Perspective Complex issues may be oversimplified in large forums. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aspect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) [Concepts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/concepts/) [Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/development/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-things/) [Finance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finance/) [Governance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governance/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Ict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ict-88134/) [Icts Development](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/icts-development-2059125/) [Information](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information/) [Information society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/information-society/) [Infrastructure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infrastructure/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Internet Governance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet-governance-919649/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Issues Icts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues-icts-2059124/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Might have been](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might-have-been/) [Numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/numbers/) [Participants](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/participants/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Small numbers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-numbers/) [Summit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/summit/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World Summit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-summit-1642432/) ## Related quotes > [It does seem to me, though, that the countries that gained most from World Summit on the Information Society are those that saw it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/it-does-seem-to-me-though-that-the-countries-that-gained-most-from/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [Kofi Annan described World Summit on the Information Society as the first summit to deal primarily with an opportunity. The range of issues and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/kofi-annan-described-world-summit-on-the-information-society-as-the/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [The main drawback, of course, was cost. Participating effectively in World Summit on the Information Society was very expensive for both developing countries and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/the-main-drawback-of-course-was-cost-participating-effectively-in/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [ Summits \[World Summit on the Information Society\] are meant to help governments reach a global consensus on major issues which has proved elusive in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/summits-world-summit-on-the-information-society-are-meant-to-help/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [Gujarat's e-governance projects have been recognized in the country and abroad. To give a few examples- Gujarat has the largest Wide Area Network in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/gujarat-s-e-governance-projects-have-been-recognized-in-the-country/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [We believe in a whole-school approach to ICT.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-wilson/we-believe-in-a-whole-school-approach-to-ict/) [Adrian Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-wilson/) > [I am delighted to be involved in the digital divide campaign to ensure that every school is made aware of what steps it can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/estelle-morris-baroness-morris-of-yardley/i-am-delighted-to-be-involved-in-the-digital-divide-campaign-to/) [Estelle Morris, Baroness Morris of Yardley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/estelle-morris-baroness-morris-of-yardley/) > [“The new information technology, indifferent to human suffering, does not accommodate humane needs unless we harness it and make it do so.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahnaz-afkhami/the-new-information-technology-indifferent-to-human-suffering-does/) [Mahnaz Afkhami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahnaz-afkhami/) > [Governments should be role models of leadership and improve the utilization of ICT in all the governmental departments in order to improve the efficiency…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/talal-abu-ghazaleh/governments-should-be-role-models-of-leadership-and-improve-the/) [Talal Abu-Ghazaleh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/talal-abu-ghazaleh/) > [Getting an education at MIT is like taking a drink from a fire hose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-wiesner/getting-an-education-at-mit-is-like-taking-a-drink-from-a-fire-hose/) [Jerome Wiesner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-wiesner/) > [The Internet Governance Forum - which brings together NGOs, government officials and companies - needs to do a better job of including representatives from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ory-okolloh/the-internet-governance-forum-which-brings-together-ngos-government/) [Ory Okolloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ory-okolloh/) > [We are having Internet Governance discussions and meetings and a very large number of people are discussing the future of the Internet who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-crocker/we-are-having-internet-governance-discussions-and-meetings-and-a-very/) [Steve Crocker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-crocker/) > [We need a multi-stakeholder approach to Internet governance, not vested interests in making citizens pay for formerly free services or restrictions to their capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharan-burrow/we-need-a-multi-stakeholder-approach-to-internet-governance-not/) [Sharan Burrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharan-burrow/) > [Remember, 'governance' is a big word that includes human rights, freedom of speech, economic transactions on a worldwide basis - it touches everything. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/remember-governance-is-a-big-word-that-includes-human-rights-freedom/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) > [No matter what you do, any country in the world is going to have the ability to set its own rules internally. Any country…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vint-cerf/no-matter-what-you-do-any-country-in-the-world-is-going-to-have-the/) [Vint Cerf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vint-cerf/) ## More by David Souter > [I don't think that developing countries gained from a two-stage process. A single phase summit (which is, after all, a two year process, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/i-don-t-think-that-developing-countries-gained-from-a-two-stage/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [The main drawback, of course, was cost. Participating effectively in World Summit on the Information Society was very expensive for both developing countries and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/the-main-drawback-of-course-was-cost-participating-effectively-in/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [Summits are best at dealing with problems, where the need for action is urgent and the range of possible actions limited. They are less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/summits-are-best-at-dealing-with-problems-where-the-need-for-action/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [ Summits \[World Summit on the Information Society\] are meant to help governments reach a global consensus on major issues which has proved elusive in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/summits-world-summit-on-the-information-society-are-meant-to-help/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [The first lesson, simple as it is, is that whatever court we're in, whatever we are doing, at the end of our task some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/the-first-lesson-simple-as-it-is-is-that-whatever-court-we-re-in/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [It does seem to me, though, that the countries that gained most from World Summit on the Information Society are those that saw it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/it-does-seem-to-me-though-that-the-countries-that-gained-most-from/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [Kofi Annan described World Summit on the Information Society as the first summit to deal primarily with an opportunity. The range of issues and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/kofi-annan-described-world-summit-on-the-information-society-as-the/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [It is impossible, maybe undesirable, to take partisanship out of the political process.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/it-is-impossible-maybe-undesirable-to-take-partisanship-out-of-the/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) > [“Americans need to develop a “habit of mind” that includes reading books.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-souter/americans-need-to-develop-a-habit-of-mind-that-includes-reading-books/) [David Souter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) [Explore all 10 David Souter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-souter/) ## More Aspect quotes > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It is according to the shapes that I lay the plans for victory, but the multitude does not comprehend this. Although everyone can see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/it-is-according-to-the-shapes-that-i-lay-the-plans-for-victory-but/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I believe that simple, consistent shifts in our thinking and actions can lead to the miraculous in all aspects of our daily lives, including…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-bernstein/i-believe-that-simple-consistent-shifts-in-our-thinking-and-actions/) [Gabrielle Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-bernstein/) > [There is so much temptation to hold on to my career even more now. To try to micromanage and dictate every little aspect. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-lin/there-is-so-much-temptation-to-hold-on-to-my-career-even-more-now-to/) [Jeremy Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-lin/) > [I do miss the social aspect of sitting in a pub with a pint but you know what when I get down to it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ozzy-osbourne/i-do-miss-the-social-aspect-of-sitting-in-a-pub-with-a-pint-but-you/) [Ozzy Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ozzy-osbourne/) > [Some say that you should not want money at all because the desire for money is materialistic and not Spiritual. But we want you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/some-say-that-you-should-not-want-money-at-all-because-the-desire-for/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [Death is but an aspect of life, and the destruction of one material form is but a prelude to building up of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-is-but-an-aspect-of-life-and-the-destruction-of-one-material/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I would call myself a Gnostic. Which means, I'm interested in pursuing and understanding the spiritual nature of things. A Gnostic is somebody seeking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-crumb/i-would-call-myself-a-gnostic-which-means-i-m-interested-in-pursuing/) [Robert Crumb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-crumb/) > [One can be a great artist without being a great technician. There have been many famous ballet stars who did not have the ideal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-bujones/one-can-be-a-great-artist-without-being-a-great-technician-there-have/) [Fernando Bujones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-bujones/) > [I love fall because I love the whole cuddling aspect of it, and a sweater dress has that vibe of I'm going to hunker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-chastain/i-love-fall-because-i-love-the-whole-cuddling-aspect-of-it-and-a/) [Jessica Chastain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-chastain/) > [The socially redeeming aspect of golf lies in the vast number of lawyers and bankers and managers who play it, and when you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrison-keillor/the-socially-redeeming-aspect-of-golf-lies-in-the-vast-number-of/) [Garrison Keillor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrison-keillor/) > [I didnt like the Survivor shows because of the mean-spirited aspect, and women certainly were part of whatever conflict they would create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-lawrence/i-didnt-like-the-survivor-shows-because-of-the-mean-spirited-aspect/) [Sharon Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-lawrence/) > [MAC allowed me to have complete freedom on the collaborations—from the shades, the look-and-feel, to the campaign visuals. 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It's the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/styles-p/i-mean-family-is-more-important-than-anything-in-life-family-is/) [Styles P](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/styles-p/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Browse all 3,171 Aspect quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aspect/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The concept of the \"information society\" is both vague and all-embracing. Different participants meant different things by it. In practice, though, World Summit on the Information Society only dealt with a small number of issues: ICTs and human rights (to some extent), ICTs and development (to some extent), infrastructure finance and Internet governance. 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