[...] , innovation enables developing economies to leapfrog technologies. Some former digital deserts have catapulted themselves into the information age. Landline telephony never reached the world’s poorer corners – even in the capital cities of developing countries. Mobile networks, however, span remote rural areas, providing access to the internet. Building that kind of infrastructure is easy, fast and cheap. Even in a home without electricity, moreover, one can use a smartphone. The device can be recharched elsewhere. Laos, a comparatively poor country, introduced 4G, the fourth generation of mobile telecommunications technology, in 2012. Thailand, the rich and better developed neighbour, only did so in 2015. Today, South Korea is the world leader in e-governance, ahead of the EU and the USA.
None of this means that all people in all countries have equal opportunities. But it shows that in this new age, development is less linear than it used to be, and the most advanced approaches are not necessarily taken where one would expect that to happen. Worldspanning digitalisation provides more options and makes life more complex. Cultures are changing, human interaction is changing, there are security issues and moral concerns. Those who are left behind, however, become more vulnerable and more excluded. Digitalisation cannot be halted, so it is essential to take along everyone." (Editorial, page 2)