Reflecting on Two Decades of Community Informatics: Unfulfilled Promises and Unanticipated Challenges

Abstract

This note critically examines the evolution of community informatics over the past two decades, evaluating its successes and shortcomings in creating a more just and equitable world. It reflects on the initial aspirations we held for community informatics, and contrasts them with the current landscape, dominated by challenges we did not foresee then, and by the transformative influence of artificial intelligence (AI). I also project potential future trends and issues in community informatics, emphasizing the need for proactive strategies to navigate a world increasingly shaped by corporate interests, AI-driven knowledge management, and the threat of misinformation to democratic processes.