ICT in Society
Domain focus
ICT in Society tests benefits and challenges of digital technology in education, health, employment, government and daily life, including the digital divide and environmental effects.
Core rules and concepts
- Digital divide is the gap between those with effective access to ICT and those without; it includes device access, connectivity, skills and affordability.
- E-government delivers public services online; e-learning supports remote study; telemedicine provides remote diagnosis and consultation.
- Automation can raise productivity and create new roles, but may displace routine jobs; reskilling matters.
- Telecommuting reduces commuting but can blur work–life boundaries and increase social isolation.
- ICT can reduce paper use and travel, but data centres and discarded devices consume energy and create e-waste.
- Accessibility features such as screen readers, captions and adjustable text widen participation.
Worked example
A rural clinic uses telemedicine to consult a specialist in the capital. Benefits: patients avoid long travel costs and waiting; specialists review images quickly; records can be shared. Limitations: poor broadband, unreliable power, limited digital skills and concerns about privacy can exclude patients. The reasoning is to weigh access and cost benefits against infrastructure and inclusion risks. A fair judgement names who gains, who may be excluded, and what support such as connectivity, training and consent is needed.
Traps that cost marks
Claiming ICT automatically benefits everyone; defining the digital divide only as not having a phone; ignoring skills and affordability; listing only advantages in an evaluate question; and forgetting e-waste or energy use when discussing environmental impact.