Image of digital future of the society through the prism of pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic appeared to be challenge that forced the civilization to demonstrate the ability of modern technologies to protect biological vulnerability of the human. Digital technologies, taken by the author as the subject of this research assumed a tremendous burden of maintaining social relations and processes. The conducted analysis of social processes and cases allowed determining the key trends, opportunities and risks. The threat to the existence of largely accelerated the digitalization process, leaving virtually no options for dissenters, forced to expand the use of the existing information and communication technologies and hasten creation of new ones. Constant presence on the Internet becomes an absolute psychological and in many instances objective necessity. For many companies, the choice was between ceasing to exist or transition into the digital environment. From the perspective technological solutions, the humanity was prepared for “digitalization” good enough; although in psychological and sociological aspects not so much. The article determines the three primary functions of information and communication technologies that united people during the pandemic: information/infodemia, digitalization of activities, and control. Information and communication technologies set the agenda, allow people to work, study, recreate, and communicate. Physical (face-to-face) connections between people are replaced with digital ones. Information circulating in the system can promote seamless interaction between people or negatively affect the most vulnerable parts of society. Various digital solutions – from centralized total control to self-regulation based on mobile information – adopted in different countries for monitoring and preventing the spread of virus, demonstrate the possible management options for the developing bioinformatics system.