Information and communications technology

Information and communications technology (ICT) is a term that expands on information technology (IT) to highlight how we connect and share information. It includes tools like telephones, wireless networks, computers, and many services that help us send and receive data. These tools work together so people can talk, learn, and do many things from far away.

ICT also talks about how different kinds of technology, such as television and phone systems, come together using the same wires or signals. This makes it easier and cheaper to use all these tools together. Because of this, ICT is a big idea that covers anything we use to send or get information, from old radios to modern smartphones.

The world of ICT is always changing, and it includes any device that can store, send, or change digital information. This means computers, emails, digital TV, and even robots are all part of ICT. As technology grows, learning about ICT helps people use these tools better in the future.

Etymology

The phrase "information and communication technologies" has been used by researchers since the 1980s. The abbreviation "ICT" became popular after it was used in a report to the UK government in 1997, and then in the school curriculum for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2000. However, by 2012, the Royal Society suggested stopping the use of "ICT" in British schools because it had too many negative meanings. Starting in 2014, the school curriculum used the word computing instead, which included computer programming.

The phrase has spread around the world. The United Nations created a "United Nations Information and Communication Technologies Task Force" and an internal office for information and communications technology.

Monetization

A lot of money is spent worldwide on information technology. In 2017, it was estimated that US$3.8 trillion was spent, and this amount has been growing each year. In 2018, the growth was about 5%, with the biggest increase—16%—happening in new technologies like the Internet of Things, Robotics, Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, and Artificial Intelligence.

In 2014, the U.S. federal government spent nearly $82 billion on IT. Over the years, companies have been spending more on IT, which takes up a big part of their money. Most of this spending—75%—is used just to keep things running, while the rest goes toward new technology projects. In 2022, the total money spent on IT around the world was just over US$6 trillion.

Technological capacity

The world's ability to store information has grown a lot over the years. In 1986, we could store about 2.6 exabytes of information. By 2014, this grew to around 5 zettabytes. This is like having stacks of CD-ROM reaching from the earth to the moon, or even books reaching from the earth to the sun!

We can also look at how much information we can send and receive. In 1986, broadcast networks could send 432 exabytes of information. By 2014, two-way telecommunication networks could exchange around 100 exabytes of information. Computers have also become much faster at processing information over this time.

Sector in the OECD

The following shows a list of OECD countries based on how much the ICT sector added to their total value in 2013.

ICT Development Index

The ICT Development Index shows how well different countries use and access technology for communication and information. In 2014, the International Telecommunication Union shared the latest rankings. Denmark was at the top, followed by South Korea. The top 30 countries were mostly wealthy ones with better living conditions, including places like Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Japan, Macao (China), New Zealand, Singapore, and the United States. Almost all the countries improved their rankings that year.

The WSIS process and development goals

On December 21, 2001, the United Nations General Assembly agreed to hold the World Summit on the Information Society. This meeting aimed to talk about the chances and problems in today’s world of information and communication. The meeting was linked to the United Nations Millennium Declaration goal of using technology to help reach important Millennium Development Goals. It was decided that many different groups, like governments, private companies, and people from society, should work together to reach these goals.

The world wanted to make sure that technology could be used everywhere by 2015. This was the time set to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals, which leaders had agreed to in the year 2000.

In education

Using technology in teaching can help students learn better, especially when it is used together with good teaching methods. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) works to make sure everyone, no matter where they live, has a chance to learn using technology. They believe technology can make learning better, help teachers, and make managing schools easier.

Even though technology can improve learning, it doesn’t always work well. Sometimes teachers aren’t comfortable using computers or prefer older teaching methods, which makes it hard to use technology effectively in classrooms.

Mobile learning for refugees

Main article: Mobile learning for refugees

School can help people learn new languages, but refugees often face difficulties in going to school, especially outside camps. Mobile apps can help with learning languages and reading. These apps are useful because they let refugees practice talking and learning in real situations, helping them adjust to new languages and cultures.

Developing countries

Africa

Technology has been used to help teaching in Sub-Saharan Africa since the 1960s, starting with TV and radio. Later, computers were brought into schools so students and teachers could learn to use them. Projects like the One Laptop Per Child have given millions of laptops to students and teachers. Mobile phones have been especially helpful because they are common and can connect students and teachers, even in places without the internet.

Growth in modern society and developing countries

Today, most of the world is online, with about 74% of people using the internet. But many people in poorer countries still don’t have good access to the internet or mobile phones.

Limitations

There are still many places, especially in rural areas of developing countries, where people can’t get internet or mobile service. While technology continues to grow, with new gadgets like smartwatches and smart TVs, many people still don’t have access to these tools. Technology is also being used in new ways, like in farming and healthcare, to help where there aren’t enough workers.

In government

Governments use ICT to improve how they connect with people and work together, especially with small businesses and community groups. This helps make things like handling complaints easier and better for everyone.

In the United States, the Department of State has plans from 2024 to 2026 to focus on four key areas: improving cybersecurity, updating systems, managing data better, and training workers to be more skilled with digital tools. These steps help governments keep information safe as technology changes.

In health care

Telehealth helps doctors see patients online, and studies show it can work just as well as face-to-face visits.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers used ICT tools to study how people felt on social media. They used computer programs to read millions of posts, which helped track patterns of fear or trust around the world and understand how people react to health crises.

Other important areas include artificial intelligence in healthcare, mHealth, clinical decision support system and expert system, health administration and hospital information system, and more health information technology and health informatics.

Software for COVID-19 pandemic mitigation was also developed to help manage the pandemic.

In science

ICT helps scientists and students in many ways. It allows them to do internet research, use online research methods, share ideas through science communication, access scholarly databases, and explore applied metascience. These tools make it easier for everyone to learn, discover, and share important information.

Models of access

Scholar Mark Warschauer talks about three ways people can access information and communication tools: having devices like phones or computers, having connections like internet lines, and knowing how to use these tools well. Just having a device or a connection isn’t enough. To really use these tools well, people also need to know how to use them, which takes learning and support.

Mark Warschauer studied how people in Liberia, the Vai people, use their own writing system. This showed that being able to read and write helps people in different ways depending on what they need it for. He believes the same is true for using computers and the internet. Using these tools well needs more than just having them; it needs the right skills, support, and resources. When people use these tools well, it can help them grow, but if they don’t have the right support, they might miss out.

Environmental impact

See also: Category:Environmental technology and Information and communication technologies for environmental sustainability

In the early 2000s, we saw a big jump in technology and the internet. The number of internet servers grew by a huge amount—about 1,000 times more! This growth follows a rule called Moore's law, which says technology gets better every year. But with more technology comes more energy use and pollution. Making computers and software creates as much CO₂ as all the world's airplanes flying in 2008.

Technology can help us save energy, too. In some countries, more technology means using a little less energy overall. But as more people get online, we also use more electricity. Scientists think energy use from technology could grow a lot by 2030.

To help protect our planet, some groups want better rules to track pollution from technology. They also suggest using technology in smart ways to cut down on pollution, especially in places where technology isn't as advanced. This could help reduce damage to the environment from growing economies and more energy use. Technology can also help solve big problems like climate change in many ways.