The Impact of ICT regulations and internet filtering on ICT diffusion and quality of life

Abstract

ICT has transformed human life in a multitude of ways and continues to do so, by the creation, sharing, communication, storing, and management of information. However, it also opened the door for new cybersecurity risks, and if these privacy and security risks are not adequately addressed, ICT use will be restricted by the users. Thus, this cross-country level study (with 106 countries) aims to identify the relationship between ICT regulations on ICT diffusion and the quality of life of citizens while exploring the moderating effect of the use of internet filtering by the government (Figure 1). ICT diffusion refers to the spread and adoption of ICT by various communities and organisations. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), USA, 74% of American internet users have reduced their online activities due to privacy concerns. Similar findings are drawn from other studies too [1]. Thus, to improve ICT diffusion, it is important to set up a matured ICT-related regulatory environment (H1). As virtual social networks become increasingly popular, online bullying, hate speech, and the spread of fake news have emerged as major problems. Some of the incidents have led to suicides as well as community-level violence. The platform providers are therefore under pressure to restrict this kind of internet content. For example, in January 2024 at the USA Senate, CEOs of social media companies were urged to draw attention to how they had failed to safeguard children. On the other hand, there is growing concern about the involvement of the government in content filtering and censoring highlighting the fact that it could impact the freedom of speech and be biased.