Information and Communication Technologies and Poverty

Poverty is one of the main social problems of the world. It represents the failure of governments to guarantee equal opportunities, as well as access to adequate resources for all. Information and communication technology (ICT) can have a significant impact in the fight against poverty. These tools give the less advantaged the ability to access information, resources and education that were previously unattainable. ICTs can also be a tool to reduce the digital divide and allow the poor to access information resources that were previously unattainable. These tools can help improve education, provide access to financial markets Can information and communication technologies (ICT) help alleviate poverty? The objective of the present investigation is to analyze the influence of the Importation of ICTs, the use of the Internet and the increase in the population on poverty rates. Focusing particularly on the role of ICTs in reducing poverty, the analysis suggests that ICTs will play a role primarily as communication technology rather than information production or processing technology. Using an Auto Regressive Vector time series model, it was verified that ICTs reduce poverty in the short term. The use of the Internet shows two aspects, a possible decrease in poverty in the short term, while, with a larger population, the poverty rate also increases. As a policy recommendation, policies are suggested that improve access to technology as a key to reducing poverty