Attending the “Gender, Technology & Power” Conference

“Technology is neither good nor bad; nor is it neutral” - first of Kranzberg’s laws (Kranzberg, 1986)  

Poster presented by TIMED team members

In early September 2025, we had the opportunity to attend and present at the international Gender, Technology & Power conference, hosted by the Faculty of Sociology at the University of Warsaw and P-WILL: Platform Work Inclusion Living Lab. The event brought together researchers from a variety of disciplines to critically examine how digital technologies can both empower and disenfranchise different groups. Particular attention was given to intersectionality, power asymmetries and emerging narratives of digital fairness. 

As part of this event Joanna Witowska and Katarzyna Goncikowska, presented our poster “Digital technology, among caregivers: How DT shapes time and everyday life?”, which draws on 150 interviews conducted in six European countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK). We focused on participants with caregiving responsibilities, a group for whom digital technologies often enable and constrain temporal autonomy.  

The study shows that, although digital tools can help to coordinate tasks and enable social connection, they can also intensify the pressure to be available at all times, break up leisure time into short periods and fuel feelings of guilt through constant social media comparisons. Many caregivers find that their free time is fragmented and unpredictable. Digital tools can be a lifeline, but they can also be a source of added pressure. It is important to note that these dynamics are not experienced uniformly; cultural, institutional and gendered contexts all play a role in shaping the intersection of digitalisation with caregiving and free time.  

Our findings highlight the need to reconsider digital 'empowerment' from an intersectional perspective. Key steps towards more inclusive digital futures include recognising caregiving as labour, supporting equitable policies, and designing technologies that better reflect everyday constraints.  

The conference provided a valuable opportunity to discuss these challenges, share insights with international colleagues and consider how critical research can influence public discourse and policy.