Overcoming Tech Exceptionalism: How to Improve Societal Impact by Technology Firms in Fragile and Conflict Settings

Social media and technology companies are quickly branching beyond the developed world. As their need for growth expands the map of their geographic footprint, tech firms increasingly find themselves working within fragile and conflict-affected states to expand global market share. But in entering these markets, these firms often ignore the difficult lessons learned from companies in other industries entering similar (or even the same) types of states, a phenomenon we describe as “tech exceptionalism.” As a cure, we offer the lessons of other firms in fragile and conflict-affected states with the addition of the particular strengths that tech companies, and social media firms in particular, might bring to do no harm and maybe even to enhance peace in these locations.