OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES Through this research we have learned that platforms hold the potential to create system change at scale because of their unique qualities, viz, the ability to connect exponentially large numbers of stakeholders in networks that openly exchange value, interact and evolve, while activating agency and catalyzing participation. We anticipate that the citizen sector will increasingly adopt platforms as a tool to scale-up system change. Platforms have already changed the world of business; we are also witnessing a global trend towards building digital public infrastructure by governments. This means that progressively, essential functions such as banking, tapping into government services and entitlements, access to healthcare, participation in local governance, etc. will be accessed digitally.With such tech infrastructure becoming a common feature of modern life, minimizing exclusion is a priority we, as a society, need to be vigilant about. Global access to smartphones and mobile internet remains unequal and occurs primarily along socio-economic conditions. Further, there exists a gender gap too: according to the 2020 GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report,14 women are 20 percent less likely to use mobile internet globally. It should be noted that ironically, solutions that are exclusively digital and are implemented at scale could lead to the unintended consequence of the further exclusion of already marginalized groups. Which is why protecting certain groups that are more vulnerable (for example, children), is essential. As in any emerging field, there are no proven playbooks, many questions continue to remain unanswered and, to date, only a limited number of demonstrated successes define this domain. However, what we do know is that social entrepreneurs have a pivotal role to play in influencing how platforms and digital public infrastructure are designed, implemented and used in the world to ensure they indeed serve ‘the good of all.’ In order to play this role, it is critical for social entrepreneurs to familiarize themselves with platforms and to become more aware of the myriad ways in which such technology can empower or disempower society. Failing to do so holds many potential negative implications and risks for society. We have also learned that building platforms is an expensive proposition and outside the realm of expertise for most social entrepreneurs. It is a risky, difficult and time-intensive endeavor that requires significant in-house tech-savviness and high capital investment, aspects that have proven to be a huge barrier to entry for many social entrepreneurs. Hence, we believe it is critical and urgent
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https://www.gsma.com/mobilefordevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/GSMA-The-Mobile-Gender-GapReport-2020.pdf
Leveraging Platforms for the Good of All: Insights from Leading Social Entrepreneurs
