Starter For Ten's Net34 Blog

“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 & O’Day, 1999)

I liked this quote, and felt that this describes the Internet well. In the Concepts assignment I likened the Internet to a culture - one with its own language, practices and customs. But I hadn't thought of it in terms of an ecology before now.

Information ecology draws on the language of ecology, using terms such as habitat, growth, ecosystem, evolution to describe information systems, which of course the Internet is.

I don't know that thinking about the Internet in terms of an ecology would make me think any differently about it, or use it any differently. Maybe by being able to use the metaphor of an ecology does makes it easier to describe certain situations or concepts though.

On why we don't talk of a 'communication ecology':

We do talk of a 'communication ecology'! Just not as much as we do of information ecology. Out of interest, I did a search on the terms "communication ecology" and I found this article:

Biotechnology in the global communication ecology

".......Similarly, the Internet has become a more important
communication tool than classical methods such as TV advertising.
But unlike the days of Khair Beg, the new communication ecology is global in character,making it possible to spread information widely and generate empathy among a diversity of activist organizations, including those that are unlikely to be
affected by the technology. These cyber-communities are built around a complex set of mailing lists that are not easily accessible. Correcting misinformation spread through such channels is difficult to do because of the complexity of the networks."

The term "information ecology" is much more widely used and accepted.

REFERENCES

Biotechnology in the global communication ecology,. Calestous Juma.Source: Economic Perspectives 8 September 2003 EN

http://www.scidev.net/en/opinions/biotechnology-in-the-global-communication-ecology.html

Net11 Module 5 - Nardi & O'Day quote.