ETECH: ICT as a Platform for Social Change

• Digital Divide - The unequal distribution of information and communication technology across nations, "gap between information-haves and -have nots."
• 2 Contributing Major Factors: [AU]

  1. Access
  2. Understanding
• Access - Obtaining a digital connection (infrastructure).
• Understanding - Skills on how to use.
• Factors for Digital Divide Existence: [IGG]

  1. Infrastructure
  2. Geography
  3. Government Restrictions
• Infrastructure - Differences impacting access and quality of internet services.
• Geography - Where remote or rural areas face more challenges in connectivity.
• Government Restrictions - Which can limit access to information and technology through censorship or lack of investment in digital infrastructure.
• ICT - Has become an agent for change in business, communication, and education by enhancing efficiency, enabling global connectivity, and fostering innovative learning methods.
• ICT - Serves as a powerful tool for advocacy by amplifying voices and mobilizing support for causes through widespread information dissemination.
• Social Change - An adjustment in human interaction based on cultural and social aspects.
• Social Media - The means of interactions among people in which they create, share, and/or exchange information and ideas in virtual communities and networks.
• Power of Social Media - The true power of social media is influence. Social media provides an avenue for companies to not only engage with customers, but also influence them with the right content that helps them make a decision.
• Influencers - A person who inspires or guides the actions of others. Someone with the ability to influence potential buyers of a product or service by promoting or recommending the items on social media.
• Bloggers and Vloggers - Operate on one or more social media platforms at once to publish content on a regular basis. These influencers engage audiences to maintain their loyalty, generate leads, and boost brand awareness.
• Mainstream Celebrities - (+ social media sensations) Appear on behalf of a company to further drive their purchases through their reach to a large number of potential customers.
• Reality Stars - Act as influencers as they normalize social practices by being more accessible to the audience. Ex: companies that have products and services embedded into such programs as those of the body makeover series
• Micro-influencers - Have 500-10000 followers and use their online communities to talk about any brand, product, or service.
• Nano Influencers - Have a small number of followers with the highest engagement rates as they are closely related to their followers and are capable to form more authentic relations to promote different products and services.
• Roles of Social Media Influencers:

  1. Inform
  2. Inspire
  3. Influence
• Inform - About trends, fads, and news.
• Inspire - Spark an emotional quickening that generates idea.
• Influence - Driving force to take actions for the future, and building trust.