Democratization of technology

<p><a href="/facts/Democratization/ppbzKnhe">Democratization</a> of <a href="/facts/Technology/9Uav5WVR">technology</a> refers to the process by which access to technology rapidly extends to an ever-broader audience, especially from a select group of people to the average public. New technologies and improved <a href="/facts/User_experience/0GF3UETu">user experiences</a> have empowered those outside of the technical industry to access and use <a href="/facts/Technological/9Uav5WVR">technological</a> products and services. At an increasing scale, <a href="/facts/Consumers/dMflnQGX">consumers</a> have greater access to use and purchase technologically sophisticated products, as well as to participate meaningfully in the development of these products. Industry innovation and user demand have been associated with more affordable, <a href="/facts/User-friendly/zuAnqu9Q">user-friendly</a> products. This is an ongoing process, beginning with the development of mass production and increasing dramatically as digitization became commonplace.
</p><p><a href="/facts/Thomas_Friedman/QmdhAhzo">Thomas Friedman</a> argued that the era of <a href="/facts/Globalization/0locjSHH">globalization</a> has been characterized by the democratization of technology, democratization of finance, and democratization of information. Technology has been critical in the latter two processes, facilitating the rapid expansion of access to specialized knowledge and tools, as well as changing the way that people view and demand such access.
A counter argument is that this is just a process of 'massification' - more people can use banks, technology, have access to information, but it does not mean there is any more democratic influence over its production, or that this massification promotes Democracy.
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Democratization of technology open-in-new

Democratization of technology