Social and Professional Issues in IT Roshan Chitrakar

International Issues The foundation of Information Society Digital Divide Framework for Information Society A Knowledge Society Defining Rights and Governance Infrastructure Development Development and Employment Tools, Services and Application Citizens and Communities Gender Perspectives

Foundation of Information Society Information Society is –a consumer-oriented environment containing tools, applications and services; or –as a global commons enabled by ICTs in which human needs are central. An information society’s is developed on the basis of human rights frameworks and hence is human needs - centric. Information Societies develop economic wealth, grow social needs, and focus on cultural identity and diversity of all citizens. There needs a balance between the civil society and the information society.

Digital Divide Does exist in both domestic and global contexts. Divide not only in the Internet, but basic telephony also. Digital government services are not possible as long as there remain citizens who lack access to technologies. Issues in inequalities: - –social, economic, educational and political barriers; –achieving universal and equitable access; –information is a public and intellectual property; –freedom of expression and of the media; –cultural and linguistic diversity in circumventing barriers; and –roles of govt., civil society and private sector in bridging barriers

Developing Framework of Information Society The framework include functional, regulatory and developmental aspects Functional issues –facilitation of education and technical literacy, –addressing the needs of workers, –support for commerce Regulatory issues –data protection, privacy and network security, –intellectual property rights, –establishment of appropriate policy Developmental issues –sustainable and appropriate development of ICTs, –capacity building in govt., society and the private sector, –financing and deployment

Knowledge Society perspective An information society enables the creation and management of knowledge through the ICTs. Issues are: - –establishment of educational goals through information society; –enabling distance learning; –facilitating formal and lifelong learning; –development of information literacy, including content development skills; –access to knowledge; –support for cultural and linguistic diversity; and –support for needs of young people.

Defining Rights and Governance Define and enforce rights of all stakeholders, and the particulars of its governance Issues are: - –democratic management of intl. bodies dealing with ICTs; –information and comm. rights of got., business and citizens; –privacy and security policies (responding to criminal activities); –censorship and regulation of contents; –role of the media (ownership and concentration); –application of ICTs for decentralization; and

Infrastructure Development Evolution from the present technical state to fully benefited state from an information society Issues are: - –Extend Internet connectivity to under-served areas –Use wireless technologies to realize economic benefits; –Develop new ICTs to meet human needs; –build bridges between different media addressing the needs of rural communities; and –Make ICTs available to address emergency situations around the world.

Development and Employment ICTs affect development and create employment. Issues are: - –creation of economic opportunities; –role of ICTs in health, agriculture, labor, culture, and other life-critical sectors; –training of workers for an information society; –labor exploitation in ICT-based sectors; –examine the roles and impacts of investment in ICT- based development; and –role and limits of e-commerce in development and employment.

Tools, Services and Applications Which tools, services and applications should be used or developed with regard to their social impacts and human needs? Issues are: - –universal access to knowledge and global communication and cooperation; –improvement of living standard (adequate health and well-being) –development of ICTs for e-government (citizen input into political processes); –support for disaster mitigation and relief operations; –Support for data retention and archiving for cultural preservation; and –tools to facilitate cross-sector co-operation.

Citizens and Communities Develop the concept of an information society that falls outside of commercial and governmental perspectives Issues are: - –creation and preservation of an electronic commons, free public spaces and technical resources that can be used to meet human needs; –community control of ICT infrastructures; –capacity building for communities to participate in information society: –address linguistic and cultural diversity (also preserve them) –support for independent, community controlled media; –meeting the needs of people with disabilities; –meeting the needs of the elderly; –providing support for cross-cultural communications; –geographic-specific issues, such as rural access to ICTs.

Gender Perspective Design processes without gender consideration do not address the needs of women. Issues are: - –gender discrimination and participation of women in an information society, –capacity building and training for women (improve the lives of women) worldwide –Women’s participation in policy and decision making levels in the ICT sector; –women’s access and control over information for their empowerment; –development of ICT applications for supporting women’s education and literacy programs; –development of ICT applications for reducing sexual and other violence against women