The role of information and communications technologies as the backbone of digital economies and as a critical element in enabling a sustainable future for all has become undisputable. Their role is increasingly acknowledged in fostering socio-economic development through enhanced productivity, trade facilitation and creation of new and different types of jobs; as well as in strengthening governance, tackling corruption and improving people’s lives in vital ways. At the same time, there is greater awareness of the ways in which the same technologies can – and are – being used maliciously and in potentially harmful ways, and of policies governing their use that may have unintended consequences with long-lasting detrimental impacts.
The COVID-19 pandemic has put many of these aspects into sharp relief. The unprecedented digital adoption has shown how important and indispensable digital technologies are, and for the millions of people who have transitioned at speed into a more ‘virtual’ way of living, the benefits as well as the risks abound. Reaching a sound approach to tech policy has been made all the more complex by the pandemic. Decision-makers have found themselves having to respond swiftly and decisively to the colossal challenges brought to the fore by the crisis, and there is considerable uncertainty as to the long-term consequences of these responses.
This paper has examined some of the risks that have been aggravated by the pandemic, the ways in which they have been dealt with so far, and what could be some of the mitigating measures and key considerations for the future. The common denominator across the themes of the preceding chapters – the dynamics between big tech and governments, cybercrime, and disinformation and fake news – is the need to restore and build greater public trust in critical measures and policy approaches, and to increase cooperation nationally and internationally. The public needs to have confidence that technological solutions to public health emergencies, or any other kinds of emergencies, are temporary, necessary and proportionate. People need to be presented with a transparent narrative that discourages false dichotomies, such as between health and privacy, and that does not normalize the deployment of mass surveillance as the only way to deal with a crisis such as the pandemic. And people need to be able to trust in the ability of governments and public-serving bodies to protect them, to respect their rights, and to empower them by ensuring that the information they receive is solid and reliable. This all necessitates a transparent and evidence-based approach, one that favours cooperation nationally and internationally rather than an inward-looking, ‘isolated’ response.
As the world looks to a future in which COVID-19 has been brought under control, and as technology penetrates even further every aspect of our lives, the pandemic has helped to shed light on the importance of developing and implementing effective policies based on human-centric values that protect the rights of individuals but also work towards a collective good.
