Computing involves social issues and political choices. Issues such as privacy, computer crime, gender inequity, disemployment, and electronic democracy versus "Big Brother" are addressed in the context of efforts to develop a national public policy for information technology. A broad range of research and case studies are examined in an attempt to throw light on issues foremost in the popular mind, but often neglected by the professionals in the field. The theme is that technology affects power--personal, organizational, and societal. Chapters include: "The Potential of Computing to Threaten Democratic Values"; "The Potential of Computers to Democratize American Life"; "Computer Technology and the Right to Privacy"; "Computer Crime, Information Security, and Information Rights";"Social Impacts of Information Systems"; "Computing and Organizational Change"; "Information Technology and Global Competition"; and "Public Policy for Information Technology." There is a 107-page bibliography, and an appendix contains the ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct. (MAS)