This book investigates the complex socio-political implications of the rapid expansion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) during the 1990s. Authors Robin Mansell and Roger Silverstone, both established scholars in media and communication studies, synthesize perspectives from economics, sociology, and political science to evaluate how digital infrastructure reshapes institutional and individual power dynamics. They argue that the integration of these technologies is not merely a technical evolution but a political process with contradictory outcomes for governance and public life.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational interdisciplinary text that bridges the gap between technical development and social science theory. Scholars frequently cite the book for its rigorous approach to the political economy of information systems during the early digital era.