Pew (PEW PEW PEW PEW PEW PEW PEW!): Mobile Technology and Home Broadband 2019. “As the share of Americans who say they own a smartphone has increased dramatically over the past decade – from 35% in 2011 to 81% in 2019 – a new Pew Research Center survey finds that the way many people choose to go online is markedly different than in previous years.”
internet access
CNET: The UN wants to connect every adult in the world by 2030
CNET: The UN wants to connect every adult in the world by 2030. “At a time when countries are feuding over tariffs and trade agreements, Melinda Gates and Alibaba CEO Jack Ma feel optimistic that international cooperation will bridge the digital divide. The hope is that global collaboration will help connect every adult to a ‘digital network’ by 2030.”
BBC: The tablet computer pulled by donkey
BBC: The tablet computer pulled by donkey. “Back in 2016, mobile technology the like of which had not been seen before rolled into the remote community of Funhalouro, in Mozambique. Pulled by donkey, the container consisted of four LCD screens, powered by solar panels. It was a mobile roadshow, starting with music to draw a crowd and then switching to a three-minute film on the biggest of the screens.”
CNET: The internet is changing Africa, and the results are complicated
CNET: The internet is changing Africa, and the results are complicated. “Widespread internet access is changing the African continent, largely thanks to the rise in smartphone ownership. Many Africans who are unable to afford costly broadband connections can now access the web for the first time, via sub-$50 Android phones. The rate of adoption continues to surge: A GSMA study predicts Africa will get 300 million new internet users by 2025.”
New Straits Times Online: Sri Lanka blocks some social media platforms after violent incidents
New Straits Times Online: Sri Lanka blocks some social media platforms after violent incidents. “The Sri Lankan government said on Monday it was temporarily blocking some social media networks and messaging apps, including Facebook and WhatsApp, after violent incidents in the wake of Easter bombings by Islamist militants.”
Quartz Africa: Despite a low internet penetration, Malawi is worried about fake news in its election run-up
Quartz Africa: Despite a low internet penetration, Malawi is worried about fake news in its election run-up. “As Malawi prepares for national elections to be held on May 21, the country has been hit by a fake news campaign which has quickly spread on social media. While the spread of misinformation is no longer surprising during elections in Africa or elsewhere, Malawi is notable because the southern Africa country has an internet penetration rate of just 14% of its 18 million population. That’s lower than the sub Saharan Africa average of around 22%, based on ITU data.”
Techdirt: The Pai FCC Sits On Its Hands While Phone Companies Rip Off American Taxpayers
Techdirt: The Pai FCC Sits On Its Hands While Phone Companies Rip Off American Taxpayers. “We’ve talked often about how the nation’s phone companies, now fixated on video and online advertising, have effectively just been letting their DSL and phone networks fall apart while still charging exorbitant rates. Not only did these companies take billions in taxpayer dollars to build these older copper-based networks, they took billions more in subsidies for fiber upgrades they never fully deployed. Yet increasingly we’ve watched as they’ve refused to upgrade or even repair their networks across countless states, leaving customers trapped with expensive service that often doesn’t even meet the FCC’s standard definition of broadband (25 Mbps).”
