From Hype to Disappointment: Sociotechnical Expectations about CoronApp in Colombia

Abstract

This article analyzes the cycle of sociotechnical expectations around the CoronApp application in Colombia. The authors, from the perspective of the sociology of expectations, trace and characterize the evolution of the media’s attention on the app and the type of expectations projected by different actors. They find a preponderance of positive and specific expectations raised by government actors, which suggests the instrumental value of expectations as a governance tool in uncertain contexts. Finally, among other difficulties, they highlight a lag between the use pattern of the app and the media’s attention on it.