Work in the Information Age

In just a few decades, members of society have become increasingly connected with one another. From the advent of the printing press to the current Internet era, it has become increasingly harder for someone not to be connected. As Manuel Castells says, today's world is part of a new social structure-"the network society." The information technology revolution has changed so much of the way we are able to communicate and interact with one another. In fact, one area that has been greatly affected is the job market.
The so called "digital divide" is becoming larger and larger with ever computer chip created. Those from less affluent communities are being left out of the technology loop. For them, it is almost impossible to enter into a career where a basic understanding of technology is required. In Sarah Jane Tribble's article "The Social Network as a Career Safety Net" she speaks of workers utilizing social networking to create new job opportunities for themselves. Websites like Facebook and LinkedIn are now being used by workers and employers alike to find work and create new professional relationships. From a technical aspect this networking is wonderful, but from a social aspect those who do not have computer skills are being left out. Ironically, technology that is supposed to connect us is actually creating greater polarization. This networking also has other implications for workers.
Today's economy is seeing more and more of what Castells calls the "flexi-worker." The "flexi-worker" is someone who holds a job for a short amount of time then moves to another opportunity. Through networking, Companies are now increasingly seeking ways to outsource and downsize. This does not bode well for unskilled laborers.
Technology poses another question, this time for those who hold already hold jobs. Jonathan D. Glater looks at how privacy online is becoming a bigger dilema in the workplace in his article "A Company Computer and Questions About E-Mail Privacy." This piece looks at a particular case in which a man, Scott Sidell, was fired supposedly becuase of the content of emails he was sending from his private Yahoo email account at work. The controversy here is the legality of the company monitoring the private email account while Sidell was at work. Does a company have the right to do this if he is on a company computer? This is a question that will arise more and more in our "network society." Can a company use a Facebook or Myspace account to judge a potential job candidate? What sort of rights to personal technology does one have while at work? As we becoming increasingly connected with one another, we have to ask ourselves, at what point does digital life end?