IEEE Communications Society Committee on social implications of technology

The field of communications is obviously a very broad one and we can??t expect to cover it in its entirety. I would therefore suggest we narrow down on a few very specific areas of communications with substantial social implications that are either in the imminent growth category or near future status. Examples might include domestic communications satellites, videophone, two-way cable and the wired city concept, computer communication and data. networks, etc. What are the implications to the broad public of the introduction of these and other communication systems and facilities? Will they lead to reduced communication costs, to a better informed citizenry, to better educational opportunities, to improved communications between individuals and/or businesses, etc.? Are there possible deleterious effects that must be kept in mind?-the privacy question, increased homogeneity of an already highly homogeneous society, too much "stay at home" activity, the possible inability of humans to cope with faster and faster rates of transmission of more and more information (as suggested by some social scientists), etc.? If we can get some kind of discussion going of a very specific nature, we may be able to come up with position papers for publication in the Transactions, Newsletter, and other journals, organize sessions and panel discussions at appropriate conferences and meetings, get local sections to sponsor meetings, set up joint meetings with social scientists interested in the social implications of communicatiorls, interact with the broad public in very specific ways, interact with universities, etc.