While I appreciate the analysis of non-usage, it would probably not hurt
to put some of the issues we are dealing with into a wider perspective.
Although the 'digital divide' is a major concern, we should not lose
sight of the fact that the Internet has spread at an astonishing rate,
when compared to other media (it took radio 37 years to reach an
audience of 50 million, television 15 years and the Internet 3 years).
We are also using statistics that are guestimates at best, since it is
quite impossible to fully appreciate how many Internet users there are.
These statistics can be particularly misleading for the developing world
where public access points such as Internet cafE9s are becoming
increasingly popular. And I am always perturbed when I read analyses
that equate the Internet with the Web. Not only is Internet access more
widespread than Web access (especially in places with low bandwidth),
but there are fundamental differences between interactive applications
such as e-mail and listservs and the distribution and retrieval of
information over the Web that affect usage patterns.
As for future growth, issues of infrastructure obviously need addressing
(availability and affordability), followed by the more intangible issues
of attitudes and perceptions among existing and would-be users, i.e.
issues relating to appropriate content, technical aptitude and the
capacity to make use of information. I would suggest that policy makers
need to address not only infrastructure, but also the more intangible
socio-cultural aspects of Internet usage. In other words, it is not just
a question of providing access, but access to what, how and for who also
need to be taken into account. This requires paying more attention to
users' communicative and cognitive needs and practices rather than
merely 'technical' aspects, the appreciation of which calls for a
two-pronged (top-down and bottom-up) approach.
As for user demand, we should not underestimate the growing popularity
of the Internet in the developing world. Empirical research in Trinidad
has, for instance, shown that whether rich or poor, people have a
'natural affinity' for the Internet (see http://ethnonet.gold.ac.uk).
This 'natural affinity' is mainly derived from the fact that the
Internet is malleable by the individual user and thus socially embedded
in everyday realities. Anthropological research in other parts of the
world (including my own work) has shown similar patterns, i.e. that
users adapt the Internet to serve their own needs, whether personal or
professional (usually its a combination of the two).
So, although the question "why aren't more people online?" is a valid
one, we should perhaps try to learn from those who are using the
Internet to understand "why are people on-line?".
Paula
--------------------
Paula Uimonen
Department of Social Anthropology, Stockholm University
Mailing address: 12 rue Voltaire, 1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Tel: (41 22) 940 22 33, fax: (41 22) 940 22 34
e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
URL: http://www.i-connect.ch/uimonen
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