From Pessimism to Promise by Payal Arora takes a fresh look at the digital world, especially from the perspective of people in the Global South. While much of the conversation around technology today is filled with fear about AI, privacy, and inequality, this book focuses on everyday hope. Arora shows how young people, women, and workers in under-resourced communities are using digital tools in smart and creative ways to learn, earn, and connect. Instead of asking if technology is good or bad, she invites us to think about how it's used, who benefits, and how we can build systems that are more caring, fair, and inclusive.

Introduction

This chapter starts by challenging the dominant, fear-driven narratives about technology common in the West; stories centered on surveillance, misinformation, and digital harm. Instead, it shifts focus to the Global South, where young people use digital platforms like WhatsApp, TikTok, and Instagram not with dread, but with hope. Even in difficult contexts, such as refugee communities, access to the internet brings real connection, creativity, and opportunity. While Western media often highlights tech's dangers, youth in countries like Vietnam, India, and Nigeria see it as a path to progress. Tech companies are paying attention, but too often treat these regions as markets rather than sources of innovation. In truth, local users and creators are already reshaping what technology means. AI is part of this transformation. Though mostly developed in the West, it's shaped by the lives and values of users everywhere. To truly understand its impact, this chapter argues that we need to center human stories, not just statistics, especially from communities that are usually left out of the conversation.
This book focuses on how young people in the Global South use technology, not just to survive, but to thrive. It calls for a more inclusive and realistic way of designing and thinking about tech.
- Chapter 1, AI for Good, Bad, and Ugly, examines how AI can support fairness and dignity in real-world situations.
- Chapter 2, Algorithms of Aspiration, explores how creators in India use tech to make content, earn money, and challenge Western ideas of success.
- Chapter 3, Digital Desire, talks about how youth in places like Egypt and Kenya use tech to explore intimacy and self-care in conservative settings.
- Chapter 4, Reclaiming Surveillance, shows how surveillance can be used for care and community safety, not just control.
- Chapter 5, Green Design, discusses how Indigenous knowledge can guide more sustainable and just uses of digital technology.
In the end, the message is clear: we need to stop seeing the Global South as behind. Its people are actively shaping the digital world, offering lessons in creativity, resilience, and what it means to build tech that truly serves humanity.

AI for Good, Bad, and Ugly

AI is increasingly being used to address global challenges. These efforts are often presented as "AI for Good", but they also raise important questions: Who defines what counts as "good"? Whose problems are prioritized? And who gets left out of the conversation? In many cases, AI systems are designed using data from wealthy countries, which means people and environments from the Global South are underrepresented or misrepresented. This creates biased systems that may fail or even cause harm when applied elsewhere.
The promise of AI as a global solution can also repeat old patterns of control. Like past development projects that claimed to uplift poorer regions while actually deepening inequalities, today's AI initiatives often ignore local knowledge, needs, and infrastructure. For example, conservation tools like smart cameras and AI-powered sensors can detect poachers, but they are not enough when rangers lack basic resources like roads or fair wages. Similarly, in places where millions live without formal addresses or digital records, AI systems may overlook entire communities. Without confronting the structural issues, such as poverty, governance, and exclusion, AI risks offering high-tech fixes for deeply rooted problems.
To truly serve the public good, AI must move beyond slogans and be built through meaningful collaboration with those it impacts. That means recognizing diverse perspectives, addressing historical injustices, and investing in local voices, not just technology. AI doesn't act on its own; it reflects human choices, values, and power structures. If we want just and effective AI, we must shift the focus from abstract morality to real relationships between people, communities, and the systems that shape their lives. Only then can AI support inclusive and lasting change.

Algorithms of Aspiration

Young people across the Global South quietly but powerfully reshape the digital world. While global media and tech industries often spotlight creators from cities like New York, London, or Amsterdam, many of the most creative and adaptive digital makers come from places with fewer resources and more constraints. In countries like India, Nigeria, Brazil, and Indonesia, young people build content, platforms, and communities using basic smartphones, limited internet access, and free or low-cost apps. They navigate strict social norms, censorship, and economic pressure, yet still manage to express themselves, earn income, and connect with others online. Their creativity comes not from abundance but from necessity, and it is changing the digital landscape.
This everyday innovation is often invisible to Western audiences. Old stereotypes suggest that people in the Global South only imitate what is made elsewhere, but this couldn't be further from the truth. Whether it's China's live-stream shopping economy, India's advanced mobile payment systems, or music-sharing platforms in the Middle East tailored for low-end phones, these technologies are designed for and by local communities. Creators in these regions are not copying Silicon Valley; they are building alternatives that reflect their own realities, preferences, and challenges. They remix popular content, rely on community-based learning like YouTube tutorials, and develop quick, emotional content that resonates widely. Their methods are fast, flexible, and deeply rooted in local culture.
Even with barriers like limited digital tools, online harassment, or a lack of recognition from major platforms, these creators persist. They don't always aim for fame; many seek respect, joy, and a way to make life a bit better. They care about being seen, about connecting with others, and about having control over their own narratives. The creator economy in the Global South is growing rapidly, not just because of demographic shifts but because of how these young people are reimagining what creativity looks like. To understand where digital culture is heading, we need to pay attention not just to the centers of power but to the edges where innovation is thriving in ways the mainstream still struggles to see.

Digital Desire

Many people feel uncomfortable talking about sex online, yet it is a huge part of internet life, especially in places where formal sex education is missing. In many countries, talking openly about sex is still taboo, and governments often respond with censorship. Some even expand the definition of "porn" to include things like dancing or fashion, punishing people for posting everyday content. Still, young people find ways to learn and express themselves online. From quiet reading of Facebook posts to sharing anonymous stories on local platforms, they use the internet to explore love, sex, and identity, even under heavy restrictions.
While tech platforms often block or hide sexual health content, grassroots groups and activists keep finding creative ways to reach people. Apps, comics, and anonymous chat tools help break taboos around periods, relationships, and desire. These efforts show that young people want real information, not shame or silence. In some cases, even platforms like Pornhub or TikTok are being used to teach people about safe sex, consent, and emotional well-being. Despite risks like surveillance, harassment, or being banned, creators in the Global South are using digital tools not just for sex education but for care, connection, and self-expression. They are proving that intimacy, learning, and resistance can all coexist online.
At the same time, the rise of digital intimacy tools, like sexbots, romance apps, or anonymous voice chats, shows that people are also looking for companionship, not just information. Especially in places where talking about love or sex is risky, these tools offer some sense of connection. But they come with challenges, like reinforcing harmful stereotypes or creating new risks around privacy and consent. The future of online intimacy will need to balance safety with freedom and privacy with the right to joy. Real progress will come not just from avoiding harm but from designing digital spaces where people can feel seen, safe, and supported.

Surveillance of Care

A big part of internet life, like sex, love, humor, or dancing, is often treated as taboo or inappropriate, especially in the Global South. But young people everywhere are using digital tools to express joy, cope with stress, and learn about things like relationships and health, even when these topics are censored or judged. From rural dance videos in China to body-positive influencers on TikTok, these online moments show how digital spaces can spark shared emotions and connection, what sociologists call "collective effervescence". Even when likes and comments are low, millions quietly engage with this content, proving that people are listening, learning, and craving honest conversations.
At the same time, digital life is shaped by control. Governments block websites, apps censor posts, and platforms watch what we say and do. But people push back with creativity and care. In Mexico, women use WhatsApp groups to stay safe. In India, workers use apps to find support and protect themselves on the job. Projects like FemLab show how women use digital tools not just to survive but to grow in confidence and independence, even while facing surveillance and social judgment. These examples show that empathy, humor, and community are powerful tools in building safer, fairer digital worlds.
As emotional data becomes more valuable, tech companies are designing systems to track how we feel, using our faces, voices, and texts. This opens up risks, especially when feelings are misread or used to control people. But it also creates opportunities. If designed with care, emotional tech can support mental health, build trust, and reduce loneliness. In the Global South, apps for self-care and mood tracking are growing fast, offering help where mental health services are limited. The key is to build digital spaces that center care, dignity, and joy, not just profit or control. That means listening to those most affected and designing tech that supports real human connection.

Green Design

Designers are realizing that what's good for the planet is also good for people. Groups like the American Institute of Architects now support using sustainable and fair materials. Since most environmental damage happens during the design stage, changing how we design can lower global emissions. Over $100 billion was invested in climate tech in 2022. However, while wealthy countries lead green efforts, poorer nations suffer the most from climate change. Activists in the Global South are demanding climate justice and a seat at the table. They say we should learn from Indigenous communities, who have long practiced sustainable living through care, sharing, and repair.
Events like the Design for Planet Festival have helped put sustainability at the center of design, but true progress means including overlooked voices. Many low-income communities live simply because they have no choice, yet their practices, growing only what's needed, fixing instead of throwing away, and living in balance with nature, offer powerful lessons. Still, global systems often ignore or harm them. New techs like cryptocurrencies or data-tracking apps may promise inclusion, but they often exploit people's privacy and deepen inequality. Green solutions must go beyond surface fixes and think about who benefits and who pays the cost.
Design isn't just about products; it's also about values. It shapes how we live, what we care about, and whose voices are heard. Western systems often separate people from nature, label other species as less valuable, and prioritize profit over care. However, young designers and communities are pushing back by promoting collective work, emotional connection, and fairness. Repairing things, caring for animals, or preserving stories might seem small, but they help rebuild trust and show that change is possible.
Real sustainability means recognizing that environmental and social justice go hand in hand. It means designing systems that don't just reduce harm but actively support life, human and non-human alike. Whether it's seaweed-based packaging, digital safety for workers, or respectful storytelling, the future needs a design that centers care, dignity, and long-term well-being.

Epilogue

Young people in low-income areas are using digital tools to learn, earn, and dream, despite facing poor schools and unfair systems. Across the Global South, from Afghan girls learning online to youth running businesses on Facebook, many see technology as a lifeline, not a threat. While the West often fears tech like AI, young people in the Global South see it as a chance for a better future. Instead of asking if tech will ruin the world, we should ask how people use it and how we can shape it to support both people and the planet.
The book argues that the future of AI should be hands-on, eco-friendly, and culturally diverse. Manual workers in the Global South power the AI industry through data labeling and maintenance yet are often ignored. AI also depends on physical resources like water, electricity, and land, especially in poorer countries, raising concerns about environmental harm. Indigenous ways of thinking, which focus on balance and care, offer important lessons for sustainable AI. The book also warns that current AI systems rely too much on Western data and ignore voices from the Global South. To build fairer AI, we need diverse, local content that reflects real lives and supports justice in areas like hiring, education, and health.
To truly make AI more fair and inclusive, we must move beyond slogans. That means creating space within organizations for real change, building honest relationships with communities, and learning from mistakes without placing blame. It's about slowing down, listening more, and sharing power. Change takes time, trust, and care. And as the author points out, even people in tech often feel like imposters, which may actually be a strength. It means we are open to learning. If we want a hopeful future with AI, we need to rethink not just the technology but also how we relate to each other and to the world.