Decolonization and Inclusion

In human history, there is no doubt that the internet is one of our greatest achievements. The ability to access a range of information at the touch of our fingertips, to connect instantly to people all over the world in less than a second. It is so intrinsic to our lifestyles in the modern world that the United Nations have declared access to the internet as a human right. In accordance with this, we have seen technology deployed all over the world both in developed and developing countries. However, the conversation of how the internet could affect a previously disconnected society is rarely discussed - many people often assume that the world is connected already. However, as of 2020 Q4 only 63.2% of the world's population has confirmed access to the internet. There is also a gender gap regarding internet access - women in Africa are 50% less likely to have internet access compared to men. In Indonesia, men are only slightly more likely to have internet access than women, but a...

  The national curriculum often focuses on how technology is a benefit to our lives as a society - we create new programs and machines to solve problems that we have identified. It also covers the dangers that technology has on our personal lives, such as staying safe with the seemingly never-ending development of social media. However, the curriculum avoids going into detail about the negative aspects that constant development of technology has on the physical world, especially in areas such as Africa. The largest problem that affects the developing world would be that of e-waste (electronic waste). E-waste can be defined as "electrical or electronic equipment that has been discarded," according to  this website  dedicated to information about e-waste.  Introducing the Issue There are many reasons that e-waste represents a large issue with technology, including human-related and environmental damage. With the disappointing issue of "planned obsolescence" now becomi...