Technology and Development: Universalizing Access to and Protection of Information and Communication Technology

As many features of modern digital information and online communications are transcending and transforming the traditional modes of interaction and identity, so is transformed the need for addressing these new features in ways that conform to pertinent realities. A great deal of human events and experiences are likely to occur in ways different from those seen in the pre-digital era. Having witnessed a number of such events and experiences, the next stage is action and understanding. As the potential for change and development, associated with information and communication technology (ICT), is getting fame, its use is bearing fruits, and global internet population constantly increased, so is the demand for enabling equal, wider access, and protection. This article is thus concerned with two fundamental questions: how to universalize access to ICT, and how to protect it from abuse, censorship and restriction. These questions are predominantly explored from the lenses of international law.