Sustainable economic development: some reflections on access to technology as a matter of social engagement

Abstract

Technological advances have been crucial for economic development as well as for increasing social and individual welfare; however, it is not uncommon for imbalances and inequalities to appear simultaneously and may give rise to new social groups at risk of exclusion. In the age of technology, there is still the risk of technological exclusion and the digital divide is still present. The concern for sustainable development in its three aspects: environmental, economic and social has led to the search for socio-political environments that minimize the risk of exclusion. The objective of this paper is to analyze the access to technology as a social and human rights problem, which transcends individual needs to become a key issue in public policies. Primary data have been collected, through a survey with the objective of evaluating the opinion of citizens on the relevance of implementing public policies targeted to achieve technology universal access, as a central issue in public agendas. Different social groups’ profiles have shown divergent opinions.