British Computer Society

Social Inclusion in the Information Age

• 18:30: Networking & Refreshments (J234)
• 19:00: Presentation (J233)

Information and Communication Technology has always been a powerful change agent. Many have turned to ICT to help resolve the growing concern over social exclusion.

Indicative of this is the EU’s i2010 strategy, the European Information Society for Growth and Jobs. It is argued that ICT can facilitate economic, cultural and social cohesion in Europe by fostering opportunities in rural areas, remote regions such as mountainous, island and outlying areas and economically disadvantaged regions.

Indeed ICT can provide a number of new opportunities for improvement in the daily lives of individuals with disabilities, including work, education, travel, entertainment, healthcare, and independent living. However there is a risk that, despite its many benefits, ICT could set people apart, create new barriers, and increase social exclusion. Specific attention needs to be given to those groups in society which are at high risk of being excluded, due to a wide variety of reasons such as age, gender, disability, literacy, and culture. This talk will discuss the challenges of how ICT might be used effectively as one of the instruments for addressing social inclusion in an ever increasing ICT-dependent world.

Biography

Simon Rogerson is Director of the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility at De Montfort University, UK. He is Europe’s first Professor in Computer Ethics. He received the 2000 IFIP Namur Award for outstanding contribution to the creation of awareness of the social implications of ICT.

2005 he became the first non-American to be given the prestigious SIGCAS Making a Difference Award by the ACM.

Following a successful industrial career where he held managerial posts in the computer field, he now combines research, lecturing and consultancy in the management, organisational and ethical aspects of information and communication technologies. His current research focuses on technological assessment, ethical systems development and qualitative stakeholder analysis. He is co-editor the Journal of Information, Communication and Ethics and Society. He conceived and co-directs the ETHICOMP conference series on the ethical impacts of ICT and created the world’s leading portal on computer ethics.