Technology for social good: Driving change

Increased access to high-speed internet has reduced COVID-19-related deaths in the US, new research shows . Just a 1% increase in broadband access across the country was responsible for reducing coronavirus mortality by about 19 deaths per 100,000 people overall and reducing COVID deaths by up to 36 per 100,000 people in urban counties, the study concludes.

This is just one example of how technology can contribute to social good — promoting a better present and future for the inhabitants of our world. We know that technology involves innovation, creativity and transformation. It has been leveraged in countless ways to solve many problems, and many of the issues it can help solve are the world's biggest challenges. Could technology be the answer to so many of our collective obstacles as a global community?

We can serve marginalized communities — those who desperately need these contributions to improve health conditions, promote economic opportunity, and otherwise transform the world. We can change people's lives and humanity as a whole for the better.

As we all know, technologies of all shapes and sizes have become an integral part of our everyday lives. We depend on these tools to carry out our daily activities and meet our most basic needs. From getting our work done to connecting with our friends and family, technology is responsible for much of what we do. At least, that's true for many of us. Unfortunately, many members of society do not have the same opportunities and access as others.

That's why we need to do better. We need to lift up communities and individuals who are severely disadvantaged. And we can, thanks to the help of technology.

We are responsible for uplifting people around the world who are disadvantaged and don't have access to the tools and resources they need. And we have enormous resources at our disposal, so we will need to use them for social good – to change the world.

Technological Initiatives for Social Good

In all sectors around the world, corporations, small and medium-sized businesses, non-profits, educational institutions and other organizations have long realized the power of technology and innovation. And many are not content to take advantage of technology just for their own purposes and missions. They want to participate in sharing the wealth – literally and metaphorically – by contributing to social good through technology and technological innovation.

For example, companies like GitHub and JPMorgan Chase & Co. have initiatives and programs that promote technology for social good. DePaul University, in turn, has a dedicated Technology for Social Good Research and Design Lab that “brings together faculty, students, and other collaborators to design, build, and study tools with the goal of promoting equitable education and empowerment in urban communities”.

Similarly, Technology for Social Good at the University of Michigan founded in 2020, “creates cross-campus dialogues to explore the social/cultural/political dimensions of digital technologies and the culture of contemporary technological institutions.”

These are just some of the many initiatives that move towards improving the world and the lives of human beings – all through technology.

Issues and Initiatives: Leveraging Technology for Social Impact

The problems that plague humanity are far-reaching and it would be impossible to address them or even list them all here. Furthermore, some go beyond the capabilities of even the most powerful technologies, yet in our industry we are developing new innovations every day and potential solutions to our most complex challenges may well be on the horizon.

Still, it's important to remember that technology is not magic. The problems we describe and describe below are by no means resolved. However, we have some tools available to help reduce their impact and take strides towards solving them – towards the ultimate goal of one day eliminating them completely.

1. Access to information

The internet was a surprising invention that changed the face of information dispersion and consumption. Today, a lot of information is readily available and accessible to all of us with just a click of a button. There is so much information out there that we now need to be alert to the spread of error information or false information. At least, this goes for users who have unlimited Internet access.

For many of us, this is the case. It probably is for anyone reading this article! But for some people, Internet access is not a given. They may live in remote or poorly served areas, for example. Or they don't have the necessary devices to use the internet. There are many reasons why some individuals do not have equitable access to information – and that is neither fair nor equitable.

But some initiatives aim to reduce this information gap. For decades, for example, public libraries in the United States have offered computers with Internet access for public use—a natural choice, since libraries serve as information and resource centers to serve all individuals.

There are other cases of initiatives that aim to serve people who have limited or no access to the internet. For example, in response to the impacts of COVID-19, the Washington State government established drive-in Wi-Fi Hotspots that provide free, temporary, emergency Internet access to state residents without their own broadband service. All residents can use the service, whether looking for a job, filing for unemployment or learning remotely.

2. Education

There have been numerous efforts to improve the quality of and access to education at all levels, from pre-school to higher education. It is clear that something needs to be done to ensure that all citizens are academically equipped and prepared for their future , where knowledge and skills, at least to a large extent, dictate their paths. But education is far from equitable and inclusive.

Technology and education are a natural partnership. This is why the field of educational technology, called “edTech”, emerged, leveraging various technological tools, including hardware and software, to boost learning at all levels. Today, there are many edTech companies dedicated to strengthening educational practices and learning.

There are many examples when considering improving educational access and practice. We've outlined how many providers offered free Wi-Fi during the start of the pandemic. Still others specifically provided broadband access to families with middle school, high school, and college students. This allowed them to follow courses, attend classes remotely, and complete their assignments.

The pandemic has highlighted existing educational inequities while also presenting opportunities for technology to bridge certain access gaps. This is clearly an ongoing issue – one that requires constant attention and effort.

Another example of efforts to improve access to education is Khan Academy . The organization is a non-profit organization that aims to provide free education to anyone regardless of location. The organization offers personalized learning plans, allowing students to practice the material at their own pace and gain knowledge and advance. All materials are digital. This is one of several examples of similar initiatives.

3. Financial inequality and poverty

Financial inequalities are at the root of many of the world's problems, but there is no easy solution to bridging the divide.

Fintech, however, is moving in the right direction. Describing a range of services at the intersection of finance and technology — virtually any service or product that leverages digital tools in finance and banking — this field has long made banking and other financial services more efficient and easier to access. And it can have a positive social impact, helping to improve financial literacy and create more accessible solutions for everyone.

Consider Resolve . The nonprofit offers a free app that allows low-income individuals in the U.S. to file for bankruptcy independently. The organization also provides resources, tools and an online community to help families overcome debt and take steps to improve their financial situation.

Other fintech companies aim to equip individuals with the knowledge to help them monitor and improve their finances. Several free platforms that allow users to check and receive real-time updates on their credit scores have emerged over the years. Credit Sesame is one of many examples of this type of service. Having greater personal financial awareness makes users less likely to get into debt.

Many additional initiatives support individuals on low incomes or in financial difficulties. Some platforms assess lending capacity based on factors outside of traditional measures, making the process more inclusive. Others aim for more accessible banking services.

Called the “Bank for the Poor,” Grameen Bank of Bangladesh seeks to give everyone access to banking services, including savings accounts and microfinance loans for individuals who would not normally qualify.

Fintech offers so much potential to improve the lives of the less fortunate and disadvantaged that there is even a global movement called Fintech for Good , focusing on “accountability, responsibility and sustainability”. The organization is a worldwide community that shares knowledge and ideas to promote ethical finance.

4. Hunger

Food insecurity is one of the most widespread problems around the world. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the number of people affected by hunger reached 828 million in 2021, an increase of around 46 million compared to 2020.

It's an alarming statistic, and it's why innovators prioritize the global problem. Share the Meal , an initiative of the United Nations World Food Program (WFP), is one idea to help solve the problem. Presented as the world's first app against global hunger, it allows people to “share” their meals with children facing food insecurity. Donations through the app support a range of WFP endeavors, such as providing food assistance in emergencies.

Meanwhile, Akshaya Patra Foundation provides mid-day meals to children in all 12 states of India. Although not a technology organization, Akshaya Patra recognized that it could have an even greater impact by digitizing its facilities, which also allowed it to collect real-time data. As a result, the organization increased operational efficiency by 5% and reduced the cost per meal by 10 paise, thus enabling it to reach even more children – tens of thousands of children, to be precise.

5. Transport

Many of us take our cars for granted. Still, many individuals and entire communities lack access to affordable, reliable transportation – essential for getting to work, school, grocery stores and more. Furthermore, many types of vehicles are causing irreparable harm to our planet, making the need for sustainable public transport even more imperative.

Where's My Transport is a technology company that supports urban mobility by providing data on public transport, equipping millions of people living in developing countries around the world with the information they need to access public transport. The tool maps entire public transport networks, produces data on points of interest from centers of economic activity and generates real-time alerts from road and mobility networks. Great efforts are also required to keep this information timely and up-to-date.

Many municipalities are revamping their transportation infrastructure, augmenting it with tools like digital monitoring, sensing devices and IoT devices to provide useful data and make systems more sustainable, reliable and safe for passengers.

Meanwhile, as part of the GreenIoT project in Sweden, which uses IoT to measure air pollution levels, a study of the use of low-cost wireless sensors at the ground-level monitoring bus station in Uppala has informed efforts to reduce air pollution and improve air quality. It is an advantage for the safety of passengers and drivers and for the environment.

6. Clean Water

Many people do not have access to clean, quality water. When communities rely on poor quality water for drinking, bathing and other purposes, the health implications can be dire. Individuals can be exposed to potentially fatal diseases such as cholera, typhoid fever, and dysentery. Thousands of people die every day because of dirty water.

But technology can help solve the problem and improve access to clean water. An example of a tool designed to create more sanitary conditions is mÁgua . The software platform helps governments, service providers and organizations around the world improve conditions.

Established in 2012, initially to improve water quality monitoring in Tanzania, mWater uses a data-driven management approach. The free, open-access platform democratizes data analytics to create a resource that both institutions and individual users can leverage to collect and evaluate data from surveys and other in-app tools to address global challenges, including improving access to drinking water. Today, the platform is used in 184 countries.

“We believe that the first step to improving water and sanitation services and attracting more investment to the sector is to create reliable data systems”, states the organization. “Using reliable data to plan, execute and evaluate results leads to positive cycles of increased performance, public trust and financial investment. We help our partners and more than 100,000 free users of our software platform become data-driven, regardless of where they are located or their skill level.”

Innovating for the Globe

Can technological innovations solve humanity's most pressing challenges ? It is clear that there is a lot of work to be done and it would be overzealous to claim that technology is on its way to making the world a perfect place. Still, a wealth of evidence suggests that we are making progress in the right direction, thanks to innovation, strong partnerships and people investing their resources in important causes.

Thanks to the many tools we now have at our disposal and the individuals and organizations that make progress even more possible, we are better equipped to move forward and help our most vulnerable and disadvantaged communities and populations. We're helping people achieve their goals, gain skills and access the resources they need.

What’s next in terms of technology for social good? Technologists and those seeking to find solutions and drive change will need to lead and participate in dialogues about existing problems and possible solutions to resolve them.

Together, we will need to ensure that this is an ongoing dialogue and process – that we do not end our work of innovation for social good until we have fully resolved the world's biggest obstacles and met everyone's needs, even if it takes centuries or more.