Ensuring We Media Includes All of Us

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Ensuring We MediaIncludes All of Us

• Andy Carvin
• Digital Divide Network
• EDC Center for Media Community
• www.digitaldivide.net
• www.andycarvin.com

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First, Some BasicsWhat is the Digital Divide?

• Its the gap that exists between populations
• in terms of
• Access to information and communication
  technologies (ICTs)
• Literacy skills and ability to use ICTs
  effectively
• The availability and accessibility of high
  quality, relevant content - and the opportunity
  to produce it
• AKA the ABCs Access, Basic Skills, Content

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Internet Access in America

• In 1997, lt20 of US homes had Internet
• Today, its closer to 65 of homes
• Broadband 25 of homes
• Source A Nation Online 2004, NTIA, US Department
  of Commerce

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Internet and Ethnicity

• White households 65
• Asian American 63 (but misleading?)
• African American households 47
• Latino households 37

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Internet and Income

• Households earning 75k 83
• Households earning 50k-74k 72
• Households earning 35k-49k 62
• Households earning 25k-34k 49
• Households earning 15k-24k 38
• Households earning 15k 31
• 2/3rds of Americas poor are offline

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Internet and Education

• Postgraduate education 88
• Bachelor's degree 85
• Some college 69
• High school diploma / GED 45
• Less than high school 16
• More than 80 of non-high school grads
• are offline

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2005 More People Online,But the Divide Gets
Worse

• Weve done a good job at getting middle class,
  mainstream America online
• Weve done a poor job at helping disenfranchised,
  marginalized populations
• Meanwhile, Internet access is generally assumed
• Lacking access becomes detrimental
• Result digital divide is more problematic than
  ever

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Effects on Education

• Nearly 100 of schools have Internet access
• Teachers integrating Internet into curriculum
• Students expected to have ICT skills, access
• If students lack home Internet access
• or their parents lack ICT skills,
• theyll be at a disadvantage

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Effect on Government

• Gov agencies spending billions on e-gov
• Offline services shut down to save money
• Transactions, interactions moved online
• E-gov a powerful tool for people with access
• Paradox few parallel policies to bridge divide
• Result
• Government services for the privileged

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Example MyPyramid.gov

• April 2005 Agriculture Dept releases new food
  pyramid only on website
• Not available over phone, fax or on paper
• Inaccessible for people with disabilities
• English-only Spanish website not ready for
  launch
• No access for populations needing it most
• Activists had to complain before agency took
  action

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Civic Participation and the Growth of We Media

• Media consolidationless diversity in TV, radio,
  print
• Meanwhile, its easier than ever to have a voice
  online
• Millions of blogs, growing numbers of podcasts
  and video blogs
• Political leaders, media taking blogs more
  seriously
• Problem Pew research suggests bloggers and blog
  readers are white, well educated, well off
• Result Disenfranchised populations squeezed out
  of public discourse yet again

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It Aint We Media UnlessIt Includes All of Us

• Teaching Internet skills to all must be a
  priority
• Working with community orgs, faith-based groups,
  other social first responders
• Promoting blogging, podcasting, vlogging and
• low-power radio as tools for empowerment and
  positive social change
• Reminding policymakers, media that bridging the
  digital dividestronger communities, healthier
  democracy the status quo is unacceptable
• How do we make We Media represent all of us?
• Here are some examples...

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Global Voices Online www.globalvoicesonline.org

• Blogging community launched by Harvards Berkman
  Center
• Promotes international blogs covering issues
  missed by mainstream media
• Giving bloggers in countries with limited press
  freedoms an international voice
• Perhaps we also need national/local equivalents
  American Voices, NYC Voices, Harlem Voices, etc

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Atlantic City Rough Cuts www.acroughcuts.com

• First elementary school video blogging project
• MLK Elementary School, Atlantic City, NJ
• Low-income community, high crime rate
• Elementary students will produce video shorts
  about life in Atlantic City
• Posted as rough cuts to video blog
• Online mentors will offer creative guidance
• Final cuts published using Creative Commons
  licenses, content donated to community

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Mobcastingwww.mobcasting.org

• Often quoted More Internet users in NYC than all
  Africa
• Mobile phone access exploding worldwide
• Goal Creating open source software so people can
  record hear podcasts with a local telephone
  call
• Example activists witness police brutality, use
  mobcasting to document and disseminate
• Mobile PhonePodcastSmart MobsMobcasting

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The Digital Divide Networkwww.digitaldivide.net

• Launched in 1999 at President Clintons National
  Digital Divide Summit
• Internets largest interactive community on the
  digital divide
• 8,000 activists, policymakers and educators from
  more than 130 countries
• Free collaboration tools, including blogging

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What You Can Do to Help

• Volunteer Teach people ICT skills, from basic
  Internet skills to multimedia blogging
• Interact Join DDN and work with others bridging
  the digital divide
• Engage Help policymakers understand the
  realities of the digital divide
• Speak Up Create a blog/podcast/vlog, write
  letters to the editor, organize digital divide
  meetups
• Dont hate the media - become the media!
• - Jello Biafra

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Thanks!

• Andy Carvin
• Director, Digital Divide Network
• EDC Center for Media Community
• acarvin_at_edc.org
• andycarvin_at_yahoo.com
• www.digitaldivide.net
• www.andycarvin.com