This document discusses the development of information and communication technologies (ICT) and their impact on society. It notes that thinkers in the 1960s and 1970s first theorized that industrial societies would transition to post-industrial or information societies driven by new technologies. The document then outlines major ICT initiatives and agreements at the European and international level from the 1990s through 2010s that aimed to expand access to ICT infrastructure and their social and economic benefits. Overall, the document provides a brief historical overview of the development of ICT and societal shifts toward information societies over the last several decades.