ICT and the Emerging 'Fourth World': where does the responsibility lie?

Abstract

Today's society is an increasingly technological one, and the importance of access to new technologies ? particularly Information Communication Technology (ICT) ? cannot be underestimated. Castells's theory of the 'Network Society' has demonstrated the importance of being connected to networks within this new society ? and the negative consequences of not having access to ICTs. This paper suggests that being part of 'networks' and having access to modern technologies is essential for an individual to fulfil his/her 'right to development'. As such, ethical and legal questions are posed as to whether people have a right to technologies and, moreover, whose responsibility it is to facilitate this right. Human rights law suggests that everyone has a right to development and the paper proposes that access to technology ? particularly ICTs ? is vital to the realisation of this right.

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