Role of ICT Innovation in Perpetuating the Myth of Techno-Solutionism

TL;DR

This paper critically examines how relentless ICT innovation has fostered a widespread belief in techno-solutionism, potentially oversimplifying complex global issues and influencing public and policy perceptions.

Contribution

It highlights the impact of ICT innovation on societal expectations and critiques the uncritical acceptance of techno-solutionism in addressing global challenges.

Findings

ICT innovation shapes collective expectations about technology

Techno-solutionism simplifies complex global problems

Corporate and government narratives promote techno-optimism

Abstract

Innovation in Information and Communication Technology has become one of the key economic drivers of our technology dependent world. In popular notion, the tech industry or how ICT is often known has become synonymous to all technologies that drive modernity. Digital technologies have become so pervasive that it is hard to imagine new technology developments that are not totally or partially influenced by ICT innovations. Furthermore, the pace of innovation in ICT sector over the last few decades has been unprecedented in human history. In this paper we argue that, not only ICT had a tremendous impact on the way we communicate and produce but this innovation paradigm has crucially shaped collective expectations and imagination about what technology more broadly can actually deliver. These expectations have often crystalised into a widespread acceptance, among general public and policy makers, of technosolutionism. This is a belief that technology not restricted to ICT alone can solve all problems humanity is facing from poverty and inequality to ecosystem loss and climate change. In this paper we show the many impacts of relentless ICT innovation. The spectacular advances in this sector, coupled with corporate power that benefits from them have facilitated the uptake by governments and industries of an uncritical narrative of techno-optimist that neglects the complexity of the wicked problems that affect the present and future of humanity.