We are Plato’s children

Abstract

Considers some of the drivers of national information policies in Australia, indicating that many of the issues and their social implications date back to the time of Plato. They have still to find solutions. The major issue requiring policy action is mediation. The impacts of current policy are discussed – privacy, censorship, intellectual property, security of transactions, archives legislation etc. The challenges are identified: the management of information in a non‐technology‐specific way, and how to get comfortable with thinking about information in a non‐linear and non‐commodity way.