By Morgen Makombo Sikwila
Technological innovation has been a powerful democratising force which has opened new avenues and spaces for civic participation and collective action, empowering marginalised voices and enhancing local accountability.
Increased connectivity has led to the development of powerful online communities, who are reshaping the social contract between state and citizenry and are providing key opportunities to build more inclusive and equitable societies.
At the same time, these same technologies are being employed by autocratic states and conflict actors for sophisticated methods of censorship, surveillance and dis/misinformation, which are creating new divisions and inciting violence that can manifest itself offline. Hate speech, recruitment for terrorism, fake news, disinformation campaigns, privacy breaches, and other challenges to peaceful societies are increasingly dominating political and media narratives, reinforcing popular perceptions of technology as untrustworthy and dangerous. This has also led to unhelpful or harmful legislation and regulation around the use of technology that are further exacerbating existing ‘digital divides’ and inhibiting the rights and freedoms of individual users and civil society actors.
Many threats are introduced by artificial intelligence. Deep fakes and disinformation are used to manipulate public opinion and also in undermining trust in state institutions and their representatives. Artificial intelligence is also associated with job displacements and social unrest, which compromise national security and peace building.
While the proliferation and ubiquities of artificial intelligence contribute to development, it has also introduced serious challenges to national security. Information can enhance the well-being of a nation; however, it can also be weaponised to threaten security and peace building.
Information can be manipulated through social media, which influences public perception and destabilises societies. Cyber warfare and espionage associated with character assassination, disruption of critical infrastructure and stealing of sensitive information are all as a result of artificial intelligence.
Information operations and disinformation through social media and online platforms are posing a significant risk to peace building because it creates lack of trust in leaderships. Fake news and propaganda are circulated undermining trust in institutions and eroding social cohesion. The power of artificial intelligence cannot be overlooked in peace building.
In response to these dynamics, the use of technology for peace, otherwise known as ‘peacetech’, is growing in prominence and is generating innovative tech based solutions to tackle drivers of conflict and insecurity. In effect, digital technologies provide peace builders with user-friendly, efficient and scalable tools that improve programming, communications and also creates alternative infrastructures for peace – challenging dominant conflict narratives and fostering positive communication and social cohesion between conflict groups. However, this progress and growing interest from policymakers and donors, many questions remain and are still being debated around the strategic use of technology for peace.
In the face of the COVID-19 crisis, many people working to build peace turned to technological tools, knowledge and resources to adapt their work in the changed global dynamic.
It is prudent that stories of people building peace should be accessible to all and easy to find. Digital technologies – electronic tools, software, platforms, systems and devices that help generate, store and transfer data – are playing an increasingly vital role in advancing peacebuilding activities around the world.
Morgen Makombo Sikwila
MSc Peace and Governance
BSc Counselling
Diploma in Environmental Health
Certificate in Marketing Management
Phone Number 0772823282 email address morgensikwilam@gmail.com
