CSDC 561

The lay faithful will look upon the media as possible and powerful instruments of solidarity: “Solidarity is a consequence of genuine and right communication and the free circulation of ideas that further knowledge and respect for others”¹¹⁷⁶ Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2495.. This is not the case if the media are used to build and sustain economic systems that serve greed and covetousness. Faced with grave injustices, the decision to ignore completely certain aspects of human suffering reflects an indefensible selectivity¹¹⁷⁷ Cf. Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Ethics in Communications (4 June 2000), 14, Libreria Editrice Vaticana, Vatican City 2000, pp. 14-16.. Communication structures and policies, and the distribution of technology are factors that help to make some people “information rich” and others “information poor” at a time when prosperity, and even survival, depend on information. In this way, the media often contribute to the injustices and imbalances that give rise to the very suffering that they report. Communications and information technology, along with training in its use, must aim at eliminating such injustices and imbalances.