Assessing the Social Needs of the Digital Future

by Paula Uimonen

United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD), Geneva

Paper published in the proceedings of Telecom Inter@ctive,
International Telecommunication Union (ITU),
Geneva 8-14 September 1997

Session IS.4, Future Trends

Summary

The social context within which new information and communication technologies are developed and deployed needs to be recognized more fully. Rather than focusing on what is technologically possible, the focus needs to be shifted toward what is socially feasible and desirable. It is also important to incorporate representatives from different social sectors in discussions and decision making on how to best adapted and develop these new technologies. Rather than viewing new information and communication technologies as a panacea, the potential benefits to be derived from these technologies need to be assessed with regard to existing social conditions. Existing social problems are of a very complex nature and require far more than simple technical fixes. The new UNRISD research programme on “Information Technologies & Social Development” responds to the need for multidiscpilinary research, cross-sectoral dialogue and international networking in order to identify appropriate strategies for the adaptation of new technologies in developing countries and countries in transition. The programme, initiated in 1997, will draw together decision makers from public and private sectors, representatives from civil society, academics and media in a joint effort to identify existing needs and future possibilities.

Introduction

Over the last few years it has become increasingly clear to decision makers worldwide that innovations in digital technology will require adequate policies and strategies if the benefits of these are to be harnessed for the benefit of society at large. Furthermore, the rapid development and expansion of new information and communication technologies also calls for greater co-operation at national and international levels between the various sectors involved in their development and deployment. The Telecom Inter@ctive 97, organized by ITU, is one of the many international events which have been held to discuss the various economic, political, social and cultural issues involved.

In the various fora in which the emerging Global Information Society has been discussed, the gap between information rich and information poor has been recognized. At Telecom 95 Nelson Mandela emphasized the need to incorporate the developing world in the construction of the Global Information Infrastructure. The ITU has taken the initiative to call on various stakeholders to recognise the right to communicate as a basic right, in order to ensure that all members of humankind will be participating in this new world order. In many countries ‘universal access’ has been incorporated as one of the many guiding principles in national strategies, although the priority given to this tends to lag behind other policies which have been implemented more vigorously, such as deregulation and privatization of the communications sector.

Although the risks of creating a two-tiered society are receiving greater attention, it is also generally held that the introduction of new information and communication technologies (ICTs) provide an opportunity for leapfrogging. By adapting these new technologies, it is believed that developing countries will stand the chance to catch up with their more developed counterparts. Indeed, the optimism inherent in these views tends to go as far as suggesting that new technologies will provide the one and only solution to today’s many social problems and widening gaps between rich and poor.

Rather than viewing new information and communication technologies as a panacea, the potential benefits to be derived from these technologies need to be assessed with regard to existing social conditions. It is, for example, often held that new ICTs will improve our democratic structures by making them more transparent and accessible to the public; facilitate and enrich educational programmes; and improve medical treatment and health care. Moreover, it is generally believed that the global reach of these technologies will strengthen global relations between people of different cultures, creating some kind of ‘global village’. Introducing new technologies will, however, in itself do very little to bring about such improvements.

Existing social problems are of a very complex nature and require far more than simple technical fixes. Unless institutional change accompanies the introduction of new technologies, little improvement will take place. Take for instance the process of democratization. In most democracies a great deal of information is already publicly available. Accessing it through the Internet may be easier than going to a public library or the town hall, but it does not introduce radical change with regard to public access. These novel approaches also introduce new obstacles, such as the need for technical skills and the availability of the necessary equipment. Moreover, many of the existing technical applications are text-based. Considering the lack of reading and writing skills in both developed and developing countries, it appears quite obvious that using these new technologies would only be attractive to a very limited section of the population. Most people are far more used to broadcasting media than to written exchanges of information. This social context deserves far more attention than it is currently receiving.

Although new technologies are generally viewed through the lenses of ‘technological determinism’, i.e. in terms of social adaptation to technologically driven change, the social factors of technological development should also be recognised. New technologies are shaped by various social forces, ranging from creative individuals to political and economic strategists. A better understanding of this social context of technological development reveals the human choices and strategies underlying technological innovation. More importantly, it illustrates which social forces are playing a determinant role, and which ones need to better incorporated if the current processes of social change are to be pursued in a democratic manner.

While it is impossible to predict the future, it is important to recognise that choices made today will influence future development. If the social changes brought about by the introduction of new technologies are to benefit all members of society, in all parts of the world, we need to start by looking at existing social problems. Improvement of the social condition will require institutional adaptation at different levels, both in the private and public spheres. New technologies can assist in the pursuit of these changes, but only if applied and adapted with a clear view to future goals.

It is clear that new policies are required to adopt technological improvement, but it is equally clear that they need to be well though out, based on existing needs and social priorities. The general sense of urgency which is so widespread today should not compromise the need for adequate strategies and well informed choices when drawing blueprints for a digital future. Social change is much slower than the rapid pace of technological innovation, an evolution rather than a revolution. It is much more a result of economic strategies and political decisions, rather than technological development. Moreover, social relations and cultural traditions provide an even more influential framework to the development and adaptation of new technologies.

The Need for Research and Dialogue

The social context within which new information and communication technologies are developed and deployed needs to be recognized more fully. Rather than focusing on what is technologically possible, the focus needs to be shifted toward what is socially feasible and desirable. It is also important to incorporate representatives from different social sectors in discussions and decision making on how to best adapted and develop these new technologies.

The new UNRISD research programme on Information Technologies & Social Development responds to the need for multidiscpilinary research, cross-sectoral dialogue and international networking in order to identify appropriate strategies for the adaptation of new technologies in developing countries and countries in transition. The programme, initiated in 1997, will draw together decision makers from public and private sectors, representatives from civil society, academics and media in a joint effort to identify existing needs and future possibilities.

The current research and debate on the expansion of new information and communication technologies tends to pay insufficient attention to some key issues:

• At present there is a tendency for initiatives in this field to be shaped by economic and technical imperatives, rather than by a thorough consideration of what disadvantaged groups can most immediately and successfully use. Greater attention should therefore be paid to real local needs, if inclusionary strategies of social change are to be effectively implemented.
• Current discussions of the application of ITs tend to lack historical perspective, and thereby be underpinned by technological determinism. The situation in which we find ourselves today has, however, been created through a long process of choice. In order to strengthen the capacity to consider original departures, elements of technological choice should be constantly highlighted -- indicating needs for alternative technical solutions as well as exploring the reasons for certain technical packages being chosen over others.
• It also seems important to balance attention routinely given to the technical and economic aspects of projects in the field of ITs with greater consideration of the surrounding institutional context. The impact of technological change depends fundamentally on the nature of social relations in any specific setting. And in many of the latter, technical innovation without some corresponding institutional innovation is unlikely to benefit from the potential offered by the application of ITs in slowing the pace of polarization.

The UNRISD project will combine research at international, national and local levels. Thematic studies focusing on crosscutting issues and global trends will be combined with case studies in selected developing countries. The case studies will include research at national as well as local levels. While the former will contribute to the identification of adequate policies and collaborative strategies, the latter will seek to identify community level requirements and experiences. Through field research and in close collaboration with the community under study, the researchers will seek to identify the most appropriate technical solutions to local needs.

Research findings will be discussed at workshops and conferences at national and international levels. The participants will be drawn from various social sectors so as to create an atmosphere for dialogue beyond the high level and/or specialised meetings currently taking place. To ensure a wide distribution the results will also be disseminated through traditional as well as electronic means, using print and broadcasting media as well as digital publishing and the Internet.