Data+Deprivation

toc This is a term used to describe the shift in power, where corporations have ascneded and governemnts have declined in terms of authority in key areas of national economical, political and social life. In other words the shift from public to private power. Occured in all economies throughout the world, with varying degrees. Deals with the struggle between states attempting to limit our individual expression and individuals struggling to reduce censorship.

=Two-Tiered Information Structure=

According to Herbert Shiller there is a two-tiered information structure:
 * 1) Social and economic information used by corporations and informations elite for business and education purposes
 * 2) Junk information used by marginalized groups for entertainment

Some information that was accessible in the past, presently has to be purchased and paid for.

Some feel as though this is a result of a relatively small number of giant private companies that set the national agenda. Corporations attempt to pursuade the public that their messages are an expression of their individual free expression. There are even ties between university researchers and private corporations and as a result could lead to biased outomes. Government censorship of scandals have also been noted in the course reader. Certain information is reserved for the selected few.
 * Data Deprivation is also known as "the Age of missing Information".
 * The Bush Administration for example destroyed vital information to prevent it from coming into the possession of its successors.
 * According to the American Library Association, 'since 1982, one of every four of the governments 16,000 publications have been eliminated.'

Governments 'contract out' to have some of their functions maintained and organized by private contractors. Civilian agencies spend close to $55 billion per year on contracts and are becoming increasingly dependant upon these contractors to help maintain thier security operations. The cost of maintaing an extensive system of security management is more than $14 billion a year in the private sector alone.

References: Webster, Frank, Raimo Blom, Erkki Karvonen, Harri Melin, Karrle Nordenstreng, and Puoskari Ensio. __The Information Society Reader__. 2nd ed. London: Rouledge Student Readers, 2002.p. 260-271.

=Vertical and Horizontal Integration=

It is important to mention that much of this data deprivation has been the result of vertical and horizontal intergration of businesses. Vertical integration refers to companies merging with affiliated companies in the same industry, such as McDonald's taking over Wendy's. Horizontal Integration refers to companies merging with companies in non-affiliated industries - such as Famous Players taking over Pixar. How does this affect data deprivation? By having companies which are both horizontally/vertically integrated - a common trend across all industries - we are effectively having less and less competition. Thus we have companies which can do things much faster through synergy. Therefore it only seems plausible for governments to hand over civil/social work to horizontal/vertical integrated oligoplies - the cost of paying the company than doing the actual work is thus cheaper.

=Works Cited=

Webster, Frank, Raimo Blom, Erkki Karvonen, Harri Melin, Karrle Nordenstreng, and Puoskari Ensio. __The Information Society Reader__. 2nd ed. London: Rouledge Student Readers, 2002.