As tech takes over, we’re not always in control of our lives

Technology has a rapid rate of change and with this comes new mechanisms for communication. Today, most people use these services to communicate on a daily basis from remote areas to urban centres and among individuals and corporate groups.

One of the main challenges for remote areas is affordable access to the internet to enable communication mechanisms. If this is resolved, adoption rates and the ability of everyone to communicate regardless of personal circumstances will be far greater. That is why national policy for enabling internet access across the country should address this. Free WiFi services is one mechanism that is bridging the digital divide every day.

Cellphones can be used to address today’s most pressing global challenges because they are a basic communication enabler. In South Africa, cheaper smart phones and prepaid mobile services have ensured that there are more cell phones in circulation than there are people in the country. People in remote areas are sharing devices as part of community culture. Technology can be used to gain an understanding of other cultures, meet people all over the world, maintain and strengthen familial relationships, and help people to become more socially adept.

The pace of communication through advanced technology is becoming overpowering. It is a fact of life that the future will never be like the present. Society is on the verge of a social revolution that will require people to redefine socially appropriate and acceptable behaviours regarding digital or virtual interaction. We see this every day when our children interact with devices in the way we interacted with physical toys 30 years ago.

Technology drives rapid change but acceptance follows after a period of time. People who take longer to adopt a changing world will possibly end up being digitally excluded. On a macro level, we see that South Africa is far behind the global standards for connectivity, a challenge that is being addressed from a national, provincial, district and local government level. With increased access to the internet will come an explosion in adoption of technology by today’s digitally excluded. When this boom hits, we must accept the change and the country and world will move forward.

The use of technology also holds many benefits for low-income consumers because it enables them to engage and connect with the world like never before. They do not need to spend money on commuting long distances to engage with someone in a city: a simple online chat to email can fulfil the need. Allowing affordable access to communication will change the existing digital divide and the sooner this happens, the faster the country and globe can move forward.

The objectives in using technology to reach lower-income consumers should always be to fulfil basic needs, such as enhancing informal learning opportunities to bolster the education system; improving economic development opportunities through access to online resources including job searches, entrepreneurship opportunity, business funding and government services; and improving social cohesion by allowing everyone to communicate freely and to access shared information.

Losing control over your life as technology takes over, is a matter of perspective. Fifty years ago it was acceptable to send a letter and wait for a response over a few days or weeks. Today, we can communicate globally in an instant. While we may be losing control of some of what older generations experienced, we are gaining control of a new era geared for a new generation.

Technology will improve exponentially and with it, life will change. The youth are geared for rapid change like no generation before. Just look at a three-year old handle a cell phone and you quickly realise that it is as natural to them as a sandpit was to kids of yesteryear.