Bridging the Digital Divide

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Bridging the Digital Divide Ubiquity Without
Boundaries and Borders Kiran Chaudhry Dept. of
Computer Science University of Toronto
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• The Thinking Environment
• (IWTs basis for TIFs)
• model of human interaction, by Nancy Kline
• any action we take is only as good as the
  thinking that precedes it
• The quality of a persons thinking depends on
  the quality of attention shes given while shes
  thinking

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• Creating a Good Thinking Environment
• Attention Listen with respect, interest,
  fascination, without interrupting
• Equality We are all thinking peers give
  and receive equal turns and attention
• Ease Theres lots to do, but well accomplish
  it all !
• Appreciation We appreciate what went well
  during the session

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• Ubiquitous Computingfor who?
• There are 5.86 billion people world-wide
• Developing Countries (4.6 billion people)
• 2.4 billion do not have access to basic
  sanitation
• 34 million have HIV/AIDS
• 854 million adults are illiterate (543 million
  are women)
• 325 million children do not attend school (183
  million are girls)
• 2.8 billion live on less than 2 a day

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• Developed Countries (1.26 billion people)
• 189 million adults are illiterate
• 130 million live in poverty
• 8 million are under-nourished
• 1.5 million have HIV/AIDS
• 34 million are unemployed

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• Are Information and Communications Technologies
  Relevant for Them?
• Technology is a tool, not just a reward, for
  growth and development
• A single innovation can quickly and
  significantly change the course of an entire
  society
• Technology is like education - it enables
  people to lift themselves out of poverty

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Digital Divide a substantial asymmetry in the
distribution and effective use of information and
communication resources between two or more
populations division between technologys
haves and have-nots
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• Simputer
• Simple, Inexpensive Multi-lingual comPUTER
• low cost portable alternative to PCs
• about 186 (U.S) or 297 (Canadian)

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• Recent Gatherings of World Leaders
• G-8 (Group of 8) Summit. Alberta, Canada, June
  26-27, 2002 (U.S., U.K., France, Italy, Germany,
  Japan, Russia, Canada)
• NEPAD New Partnership for Africas Development
• World Summit on Sustainable Development,
  Johannesburg, South Africa, Aug. 26 - Sept. 4,
  2002

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• Controversies and Critics
• globalization movement
• meetings of world leaders from the richest
  countries
• United Nations

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• Our Task
• Brainstorm on technology, technology directions,
  policies,,etc., that are needed to bridge the
  digital divide
• Todays crazy idea can become tomorrows
  reality!
• First, we need a volunteer scribe...

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• Outline
• developing countries
• developed countries
• concerns

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• Developing Countries
• electricity, telephones, literacy, school
  enrollment
• those suffering from illness/disease (medical
  advances biotechnology? Human genome project?
  Drought tolerant crops? Access to life saving
  medicine?)
• those who need the basic necessities of life
• those who live in war-torn regions (land mines)

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• Developed Countries
• the poor, homeless
• those who are illiterate
• those living in remote geographical locations
• the developmentally or visually challenged

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• Concerns
• managing risks associated with technology
• issue of intellectual property rights
• issue of security and privacy

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Appreciation
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• Thank You!
• Kiran Chaudhry
• Email kiran_at_cs.toronto.edu
• Web Page http//www.cs.toronto.edu/kiran