The Right to Information and the Information Society

• Author: Alina Popescu
• Profession: Bucharest University of Economic Studies
• Pages: 273-283

The Right to Information and the Information Society

PhD. Student Alina POPESCU

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Abstract

The study starts from the idea that the citizen's fundamental right to information

has new valences through the rapid development of information technology. As more and

more activities are currently being deployed in the virtual space, and technology occupies

an increasingly important place in social life, it is important that users' right to

information be respected, that they are protected against abusive practices, concurrently

with the achievement of an honest competitive environment. Correlated with the

expansion of new technologies an d the use of information in the most diverse areas,

without space barriers, it is necessary to guarantee an effective protection of personal

data and the right to privacy. Individuals' confidence in the information society is crucial

to its development and its evolution in line with European a nd global trends. The virtual

space users need to be properly informed so that they can make informed choices and

avoid legal conflicts between service providers and end-users. At the same time, the

intense development of business in the virtual environ ment can be noticed, the economic

actors seeing the potential that this space represents for their evolution on the economic

and financial markets.

Keywords: right to information, information society, users, personal data

protection, privacy protection.

JEL Classification: K10, K24

1. General considerations

We cannot analyse the citizen’s right to information without directing our

attention to the information society we live in and which plays a major part in the

dissemination of information. Over time, the evolution in the information

technology field has consisted in the development of infrastructure, devices and

operating systems, all of which facilitate the free circulation of information, the

social impact being felt in multiple fields, not only technologically or

scientifically, but also in other economic and social areas.

It is necessary to make a distinction between the concept of information

society and the information and communication technology sector.

"According to the definition agreed upon at the Eurostat level, the ICT

sector includes the manufacture of electronic components, computers and

peripheral equipment, communications equipment, consumer electronic products

and magnetic and optical media for recording purposes; editing of software

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Alina Popescu - the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, avpalina_16@yahoo.com