Information and Society xii-10

I think Buckley's use of his passport in this section to illustrate his point about the growing importance and interconnectedness of information was an apt one. From the point of view of the user, the passport seems like a relatively simple document, something that we need to carry with us when we travel. However there is much more that goes into a passport. Buckland points out things like various digital features that are scanned by computers, the customs officials that have to examine passports, and even governments of nations that need to recognize the document's legitimacy for the system to work. This demonstrates Buckland's point that the division of labor in our society creates a final product of a seamlessly flowing network of information. I think it's important to look for and recognize how and why things in our lives work the way they do. For example, we use computers every day, but the average user probably doesn't know much about the actual processes that make computers run. I think these things are important to have an idea about so we can be informed, especially with regard to our privacy and security.