I have been doing research on “digital citizenship” for a class called “Democratic Engagement” and in my reading I came across this passage: “Mark Warschauer…identifies a number of literacies associated with computer and Internet use which he argues are necessary for social inclusion in the information age. Skills vary widely including information literacy (the ability to find, evaluate, and use information online) and technical competence” (Mossberger et al. 14). Mossberger et al. later argue that in order to develop these skills necessary for social inclusion and citizenship, people must have a considerable familiarity with the internet, and computers in general, which only comes from frequent and informed use. This is why nation-wide efforts for free or discounted municipal wi-fi—particularly in poor neighborhoods—are so critical as launching points for broader technological literacy that facilitates democratic engagement and inclusion among largely disenfranchised low-income populations. And why this recent article in the New York Times is so disheartening:
"Hopes for Wireless Cities Fade as Internet Providers Pull Out"
Polina
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But the key passage in this article is a quote from my friend Sasha: “The entire for-profit model is the reason for the collapse in all these projects,” said Sascha Meinrath, technology analyst at the New America Foundation, a nonprofit research organization in Washington.
Mr. Meinrath said that advocates wanted to see American cities catch up with places like Athens, Leipzig and Vienna, where free or inexpensive Wi-Fi already exists in many areas.
He said that true municipal networks, the ones that are owned and operated by municipalities, were far more sustainable because they could take into account benefits that help cities beyond private profit, including property-value increases, education benefits and quality-of-life improvements that come with offering residents free wireless access.
Mr. Meinrath pointed to St. Cloud, Fla., which spent $3 million two years ago to build a free wireless network that is used by more than 70 percent of the households in the city."
Sasha advocates that cities own their own info networks, not depend on big corporations who only want to skim off the most profitable users.
DeeDee
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