Access requirements

Access to IT is not a simple matter. Putting aside large scale social/political/economic policy issues, we can see that obstacles take many forms. There are some rather obvious prerequisites for using IT. First, an infrastructure must be in place to allow access to larger networks. Many places in the world lack even the most primitive telecom infrastructure or even electricity. If this system exists, one must have access to a computer and other basic equipment. Even granted that, and hardware is fairly easy to come by from grants and donations, there is a very strong human element. All communication requires some education. Two parties must have a common language, a very difficult problem in immigrant communities. Second, most communication using IT is written communication. The vast majority of information on websites is in the form of text, as are most forms of person to person communications whether email or chat. In many distressed communities, adult literacy is very low, and thus it is difficult for many to use the most popular and useful applications. Learning to use these applications is not easy either: computer literacy is difficult for adults who have never used computers. Teaching all these basic skills such as reading, or becoming familiar with an operating system requires a fair amount of human capital as well. But even if one could secure resources to train members of community in these skills, there is still the key matter of knowing what one seeks. Learning to use Internet resources usefully is perhaps the most difficult of all.

Another way to think of access to the Internet is by using the metaphor of cars versus public transportation.

Allan Friedman
January, 2002