Preparing Society for the Information Age

The Federal Government of Germany has initiated a nationwide discussion on the forthcoming “Information Society.” The purpose is to broaden awareness of the opportunities, challenges and risks of future telematics applications on all aspects of life and to prepare the citizens for these changes, including labour market and media literacy, sustainable development and cities, etc. More than 150 societal groups, associations, and organizations are participating (trade unions, citizens' groups, industry associations, large corporations, representatives of churches, youth, women, handicapped people, elderly citizens, etc.). All serve as multipliers to spread awareness into all the facets of the society. The paper reviews the conceptual approach, the organizational infrastructure, the topics, the implementation of the dialogue process and the first experiences. It also identifies implications for similar initiatives in other countries. 7