September 26th, 2008
A Framework to Think About Using Technology for Doing Good
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(Cross-posted on my fellowship blog: How International Values Shape Communications Technologies)
I was part of the audience at the Web 2.0 Expo in New York last week when Tim O’ Reilly gave an inspiring keynote on using technology to solve real world problems –
Since then, I have heard many people talk about using technology for doing good in conferences and meetups (Microsoft’s ICT4D Conference, Social Media Club DC, NetSquared DC).
I find it frustrating that people talk about using technology for doing good without any distinctions regarding either the nature of the technology or the purpose for which it is being used. Therefore, I have developed a framework to think about using technology for doing good. I understand that ‘technology’ is a very broad term, and I’m only talking about communications technology here.
It’s probably clear to even a casual observer of this space that there are two separate groups discussing using technology for doing good. The first set of discussions, primarily amongst large aid organizations, converge around ICT4D (or information and communication technology for development). The second set of discussions, primarily amongst smaller non-profits and web 2.0 geeks, are around SM4SC (social media for social change).
The scale and scope of technology applications, in both these sets of discussions, varies significantly, from adopting tools already being used in other contexts to creating truly disruptive innovations. In ICT4D circles, most of the discussion is about putting computers in community tele-centers, but there’s also seriously disruptive work being done in the area of mobile payments. Similarly, in the SM4SC circles, most of the discussion is about how non-profits can use social media tools to spread their causes, but there are many social entrepreneurship ventures that use social technologies to create disruptive models of engaging communities into social change.
While I’m not belittling adoption oriented uses of communications technologies, the true power of communications technologies lies in creating disruptive models of social change. That’s the space that really excites me and I’m hoping to be a part of more conversations around such disruptive uses of technology for doing good.
[…] media marketing to other use cases of social media in developing countries, especially the use of social media for social change. As I explained in the introductory episode of my fellowship podcast, my research really lies at […]