Abstract:

The global digital transformation, while reshaping the social power structure and resource distribution pattern, has also given rise to the practical paradox of technological equity. This paradox of technological equity reveals the complex mechanism where technological empowerment and technological alienation coexist, and equal opportunities and structural imbalance are intertwined. It is a significant obstacle to achieving the goal of technology for good. Resolving this paradox not only helps to clarify the value tensions in the application of digital technology but also provides possible pathways for transforming the value demands of technology for good into operational institutional arrangements. In light of this, this study focuses on the core issue of the paradox of technological equity. Based on a systematic review of the evolution of the concept of technological equity, the theoretical framework, and the inherent contradictions, an integrated analytical framework of “paradox manifestations→underlying causes→governance pathways” was constructed. The study deeply analyzed the fourfold structural tensions that led to the paradox of technological equity, and accordingly proposed a resilient governance approach centered on the three-dimensional synergy of “institution—technology—society”, aiming to provide systematic theoretical support and governance solutions to address the structural dilemmas in the practice of technological equity.

The research findings are as follows: (1) Technological equity is not a simple issue of technological diffusion; rather, it is a progressive composite proposition encompassing accessibility of access, empowerment of capabilities, and justice of outcomes. Its ideal goal is to achieve equal access to resources, fair distribution of benefits, and reasonable sharing of risks through institutional arrangements and technological design. However, in practice, due to the interweaving of multiple tensions, paradoxical characteristic that the coexistence of empowerment effects and alienation risks is presented. (2) The root cause of the paradox of technological equity lies in the interweaving and superposition of four tensions: the intersection of equity ideal and technological practice, market logic and social goal, social structure and technological system, and governance system and technological evolution. (3) The governance approach needs to complete the paradigm shift from fragmented regulation to systematic resilience-based collaborative governance. Through multiple dimensions such as institutional reconfiguration, technology domestication, entity collaboration, and global cooperation, a dynamic coupling effect can be formed between institutional adaptability supply, technology manageable design, and social initiative activation. This will provide a resilient governance practical approach for systematically resolving the paradox of technological equity.

This study reveals the deep generative mechanism of the technology equity paradox, providing theoretical support and practical approaches for its systematic governance. However, this study also has some limitation. Methodologically, it mainly relies on normative analysis and case induction, and lacks empirical verification using large sample data to test the effectiveness of the governance approach for the technology equity paradox. Future research can deepen in two aspects: Firstly, at the methodological level, cross-national panel data can be adopted to empirically test the synergy effect of the three?dimensional governance elements of institutions, technology and society; Secondly, at the contextual level, attention should be focused on emerging technology iteration scenarios to explore the dynamic adaptability of governance tools.

Key words: paradox of technological equity, empowerment effect, alienation risk, governance pathways

摘要：

全球数字化转型在重塑社会权力结构与资源分配格局的同时,亦催生了技术平权的实践悖论。本研究基于对技术平权概念与相关理论的系统梳理,构建了技术平权悖论的整合分析框架,通过对技术平权悖论的多维表征与深层成因的深入剖析,提出以“制度—技术—社会”三维协同为核心的治理模型,为系统性破解技术平权悖论提供韧性治理框架。研究发现:(1)技术平权是涵盖接入可及性、能力赋能性与结果正义性的复合性概念;(2)技术平权悖论的根源在于“平权理念—技术实践”“市场逻辑—社会目标”“社会结构—技术系统”“治理体系—技术演化”四重张力的交织与叠加;(3)破解技术平权悖论需从碎片化监管转向韧性协同治理,具体可通过制度重构、技术驯化、主体协同与全球协作等多维路径,构建多元共治的韧性治理框架。本研究通过揭示技术平权悖论的深层生成机制,为其系统性治理提供理论支撑与实践路径。

关键词: 技术平权悖论, 赋能效应, 异化风险, 治理路径