ICT, or information and communications technology (or technologies), is the infrastructure and components that enable modern computing.
In the past few decades, technology grows rapidly. It affects the life of people and changes the way of their learning, thinking, and communication. It plays a major role in society and now it is very tough to imagine the life without technology. Technology lays an impact on society, including the potential for society to progress or decline.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) have the potential to empower people living in disadvantaged communities. ICTs are regarded as a powerful agent for a variety forms of empowerment. ICTs are, thus, potent development enablers for the advancement of their development process and for providing individuals with tools for self-empowerment and circumvention of inequalities. This paper reports on a study of the impact of ICTs on empowering people living in disadvantaged communities in Cape Town.
The study used qualitative methods and data were gathered by observations, in-depth interviews, and field notes. The study used Choice Framework as a theoretical lens. The findings of the study confirm that ICTs may have positive empowerment outcomes with choice itself being the primary outcome. Individuals’ freedoms and capabilities are enhanced and are able to achieve the life they desire. However, ICTs on their own do not provide empowerment; they have to be contextualized. Further, a number of challenges still deter the uptake and impact of ICTs. These include lack of awareness of existing ICTs and their benefits, technological and general illiteracy or lack of adequate skills to exploit ICTs, language limitations, plus discourses and affordability. Consequently, human capacity for ICT consumption has to be enhanced to secure empowerment through ICTs.
If you want to contribute great in a society using ICT, you do the following:
- Use your technology to search and have access for information that can be useful and helpful to the society. Such information includes latest updates on current issues that affecting almost the whole city or country. Be aware of the source of your information and share it responsibly.
- Be a responsible social media user. You can contribute a lot if you only share true and legit information and you don’t support online bullying, identity theft and other activities that could harm others like participating in hacking and cyberterrorism.
- Use ICT to teach others.
- Use ICT for economic growth. Support local online businesses.
- Use ICT to connect people by engaging in seminars and other learning meetings.
As a student, the use of ICT is very in-demand nowadays. The main reason for this is the rapid growth of infected people with COVID-19 cases. Since more people are using ICT, the information on the internet is becoming wider in scope and numbers.
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KEEP IN MIND!!
ICT permeates all aspects of life, providing newer, better, and quicker ways for people to interact, network, seek help, gain access to information, and learn





