Internet and Democracy

April 19

Despite rapid growth and extended efforts on the part of international organizations, development agencies, and private investors to reach a broader audience, the vast majority of the world does not have effective Internet access. Alternatively, mobile telephones continue to proliferate, and already boast twice the users. Have we made any progress, is the future mobile, and what has come of the World Summit on the Information Society?

Readings

The Internet and Government At Odds

• Bruce Etling and John Kelly, Mapping Iran's Online Public, available here.

The Internet and Civic Crisis

• Josh Goldstein and Juliana Rotich, Digitally Networked Technology in Kenya's 2007-2008 Post-Election Crisis, available here.

Additional Resources

• Etling, Kelly, Faris, Palfrey Mapping the Arabic Blogosphere
• Faris, Etling, Madison and the Smart Mob: The Promise and Limitations of the Internet for Democracy
• Ushahidi
• Rosling on Development

• Martus
• Infodev
• Statistics
• ITU stats
• ITU-D
• ITU's expensive publication
• Global Voices
• Bridges.org's Real Access / Real Impact criteria for ICT access