This article presents the Varenius perspective on the societal dimensions of geographical information technologies and the geographical dimensions of information technologies in general, and puts them in the context of the research literature of the last ten years. The central themes examined are: theoretical perspectives on the societal implications of geographical information technologies; the changing significance of key geographical concepts in the information age; and societal aspects of the practical application of geographical information technologies. The relationships between these themes and three NCGIA Varenius research initiatives on geographies of the information society are summarized, and some directions for future research in this broad area are outlined.