Between techno-optimism and technophobia

Like in many other things, sometimes we are caught up in an either/or binary when thinking about technology in the non-profit sector. Some of us tend to see technology, especially ICTs, as a solution to all the problems at hand. These days, often we see software/apps/devices being developed and pushed as solutions to all our extant ills. There is the other camp that is technophobic and sees technological advancement as a part of the evil that is plaguing the world, and does not want to engage with it. The desirable course of action is somewhere in between. It would be different for each individual organization and domain.

We must remember that despite the digital divide, ICTs have often worked as enablers over the last few decades. For marginalized communities like LGBTQ+, and family members of neuro-divergent people, etc., online spaces/forums have opened up a sense of community. Similarly, various online platforms have democratized news and media production in languages with relatively smaller numbers of speakers. These are making it possible for newer ways of reaching out to audiences that were unthinkable till just a couple of decades back. As these examples show, ICTs create avenues for communities and social groups that have been hitherto sidelined. These spaces can be used by non-profits as well, in many different ways, to work more effectively. The first kind of usage is of course in NGOs’ routine operations. These range from internal and external communication, management of data, and maintenance of records.

Social media tools can be used for advocacy purposes. However, figuring out which audiences to engage with on which platforms is key. This is because the user demographic is quite variable across these. Social media might be a part of the spirit of these times However, older forms of media technologies, such as community radio and print magazines, continue to have relevance in the work that we all do. Before we choose the tool, we need to have clarity on what is it that we are advocating and why.

ICTs (both proprietary and open-source) can help NGOs to potentially streamline project management and grant management cycles. They can also play important roles in meeting learning and development needs of the team and the communities the non-profits work with. Apart from using technology to meet the needs in this space, open-source platforms can help players in the social sector to create free online courses and workshops in areas that need urgent attention.

Expanding the space of free (both in terms of open-source and in being freely available) software, by use, evangelization and development, is a key service that we can offer in the social sector to expand the use of ICTs for freedom, justice and development. Technology is not the solution to the issues we are trying to address in the work that we do. But surely, depending upon the context, it can be a useful tool, a force multiplier, an enabler and a community builder. There is a path between unbridled tehno-optimism and technophobia, which has place for all of us to walk on.