Page 98 - RUICHSS 2023 Proceeding

University of Ruhuna ISSN: 2706-0063
Matara, Sri Lanka

conflicts, as well as health issues such as bed posture, eye and sleep disorders,

muscle pain, social anxiety, and psychological disorders. All of these
undesirable results require special consideration (Yadav, 2022).

It is generally accepted that new technologies have significant positive and
negative effects on economic and social relationships, especially, the

environment; however, without global communications and the exchange of
knowledge, sustainable development cannot grow (Maclean, Andjelkova, and

Vetter, 2007). In this context, ICT and the Internet are viewed as both

opportunities and threats to sustainable development (CIOCOIU, 2011).
The following factors are significant regardless of the method used to analyse

the environmental impact of technological development:
1. At each stage of their evolution, technological developments have had

both positive and negative effects on the economy, society, and
environment, the three pillars of sustainable development.

2. Digitalisation is now present in every economic sector and every

important domain of society, transforming our daily lives (E.g.,
shopping, communications, transportation, entertainment, education,

level and style of consumption, business models, and the way we

think).
3. The digital economy grew more slowly during the recession, but its

future growth is viewed as one of the factors that will help countries
emerge from the recession (OECD, 2009) (CIOCOIU, 2011).

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