The ICT4D subreddit (an online community on Reddit) was started in 2011 by someone – not me. But it was abandoned in 2017. Nothing has been submitted to this posting for posting since 2018 – until now. I stumbled upon it a while back and went through the official process to take it over as moderator.

The ICT4D subreddit is being restarted as of today, June 15, 2026. It’s new description is this:

ICT4D stands for Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) for Development. ICT4D refers to the application of ICT to economic development, humanitarian aid & development, & to causes that help empower a particular demographic or all people to address challenges, have greater access to education, protect their environment, etc. It is a term popularized by various United Nations initiatives.

Examples of ICT4D:

• Activities to help build the digital literacy skills of an underserved group (seniors, women living in rural areas, etc.).
• A computer lab open to the public at a public library.
• An app to help refugees navigate various challenges.
• Farmers working with drones and GIS to gather information that can help estimate crop yields with real-time satellite data.
• An app that allows people to track and report on birds in people’s yards.
• Producing IT materials in local languages.
• Smart phones used to organize activists in real time.

Are you applying ICTs to economic development, humanitarian aid & development, &/or to causes that help empower a particular demographic or all people to address challenges, have greater access to education, protect their environment, etc.? This subreddit is a place to talk about that. Please write your testimonial yourself & remember that AI should assist your writing, but not author it here.

Up-to-date statistics about the digital divide and recent information about ICT4D-related initiatives are also welcomed.

I’ve had a focus on ICT4D since before I knew it had an acronym. And was it really 25 years ago that I was in my first year working at a United Nations agency, directing the UN Online Volunteering service and helping to manage the United Nations Information Technology Service? Wow.

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