Technological change, and the accelerated pace at which it is occurring, has been criticised by many for leading the “largely unequal Fourth Industrial Revolution”. And Covid-19 both revealed and exacerbated huge disparities in digital social equality, across the globe. But this is neither inevitable nor unchangeable.
For this reason, the theme for World Day of Social Justice this year was “A Call for Social Justice in the Digital Economy”. Tech enthusiasts and social scientists gathered to share their ideas about ending digital injustice and ensuring long term social justice online.
- They spoke about ending the digital divide and ensuring universal access to the internet; they explained that this is not an easy task, but it is doable and we now have the tools and knowledge to achieve it!
- They also emphasised the need to ensure an internet that “reflect the multiplicities of being human”; what they mean by this, is to involve users in all decision-making processes so that that “their realities and rights are accounted for”.
- Ending disinformation and harmful content is top priority! Our digital world shapes how people think, talk and interact with each other. Disinformation distorts reality and exacerbates racial, ethnic and political polarisation.
- Finally, increasing civic participation to ensure inclusivity and global collaboration will reverse “economic, gender and racial inequalities rapidly and at scale!”
Click below to read the full blog post on this by the World Economic Forum!