Information Age

Third Industrial Revolution
1947–Present
A laptop connects to the Internet to display information from Wikipedia; long-distance communication between computer systems is a hallmark of the Information Age
Location	Europe East Asia North America
Key events	transistor computer microminiaturization Internet
Chronology Second Industrial Revolution Fourth Industrial Revolution

The Information Age (also known as the Third Industrial Revolution, Computer Age, Digital Age, Silicon Age, New Media Age, Internet Age, or the Digital Revolution^[1]) is a historical period that began in the mid-20th century to the early 21st century. It is characterized by a rapid shift from traditional industries, as established during the Industrial Revolution, to an economy centered on information technology.^[2] The onset of the Information Age has been linked to the development of the transistor in 1947^[2] and the optical amplifier in 1957.^[3] These technological advances have had a significant impact on the way information is processed and transmitted.

According to the United Nations Public Administration Network, the Information Age was formed by capitalizing on computer microminiaturization advances,^[4] which led to modernized information systems and internet communications as the driving force of social evolution.^[5]

Many debate when the Third Industrial Revolution ended and the Fourth Industrial Revolution began, ranging from 2000 to 2020.^{[citation needed]}