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Abstract
The diffusion of information and communication technologies (ICTs) and their potential as a development tool have generated a wide array of views. The variety of views suggests that the role and impact of these technologies are still obscure and that the debate regarding them suffers from a lack of unambiguous evidence. Recognizing the need for clarity, the author endeavors in this paper to answer three questions: first, what features distinguish these technologies from those invented in the past; second, what are the channels through which ICTs are expected to promote development, and finally, what justifies the confidence placed in ICTs as a development tool, that is, is there empirical evidence supporting the claims made for or against the use and spread of these technologies?