Access and Equity

Despite the fact that the internet is growing before our eyes, there are still quite a large number of people across the globe who don't have access, often or ever, to the internet and social media. This inequity in access to the world's most useful form of communication, creates a gap between those who are "wired" and those who aren't. I mean think about it, how many things have YOU found out about through social media? Here is an EXTREMELY short list of the events I remember learning about through Facebook/Twitter/MySpace (what's that?)/etc.

• Osama Bin Laden's death
• Whitney Houston's death
• Michael Jackson's death
• Brittney Murphy's death
• Deaths of long lost friends from school/work/etc

While it might be depressing that everything I just listed is about me finding out people are dead, it proves the point that, 1. these events stuck in my mind, and 2. I learned of these events on the internet. So many more things I have learned through my extremely easy access to the internet. It is amazing to think that there are people across the world who don't even know who Michael Jackson WAS, let alone the fact that he is dead. Access to the internet in today's world is necessary for me. The week that my computer was in the shop felt like torture. All I could think was "Thank GOD I have my iPhone." What about all the people in the world who don't have a computer, an iPhone, or internet access at all? How do they interact with people in their lives and learn their important information? Think about that the next time you're complaining about your 3G connection being slow.