Analysis & Overview
Basic computer class at the Albany Park Community Center in Chicago
Equal access to the Internet for all people will be one of the most important social justice issues of our time. Computer literacy is the biggest challenge that people will face when catching up with the online world. People will need proper training or the willingness to teach themselves.
Technology access will always be an issue, but computing devices are becoming cheap and plentiful, and wireless networks are slowly become pervasive, so progress is being made. Governments and business have focused time and resources on driving prices down for computers and deploying computer networks, because these things make money. After years of investment and development, computers and Internet access are more accessible. Computer literacy needs to become a priority, but may not appear as an obvious moneymaker.
Bringing attention to these issues is what this website should be about. I’ve discovered that what elicits response is what affects people personally, but people who read this site are not always affected by the issues I address. People also look on in interest to what is happening in the developing world.
I think this is a website in search of the right community. After a few months, I have a better handle on the issues, but I’m not sure who would be the most interested.
Goals
Given time and money, what would I make this website into?
My original mission statement:
I started Digital Divisions to pull together news and ideas that relate to issues of Internet connectivity and technology education in the United States and throughout the world. I’ll take a look at and digest new, faster and cheaper technologies that help people get online, community activism and political movement that improves access and education and the effect on communities as they get access and start to use the Internet.
There is plenty of news available that’s generated by the IT industry and international and local news outlets to write many posts a day. I think that eight to 10 posts a day would be enough to cover news from around the world.
There are certain issues that are covered extensively by other blogs and news outlets and fit into the goal of my site. Writing about issues like net neutrality and broadband access in the United States, and new low-cost computer hardware, will bring in an interested audience of tech-savvy readers. By pinging blog search services and using trackbacks to other bloggers who cover these topics, I could open my website to a much larger audience.
In order to not turn into a blog about the latest technology, I will focus the social impact angle of the new technology or revelation.
I’ve received comments about the lack of images and video on the site, so this will have to be part of an improved version of my site. Every post should have a picture. It’s difficult to attach a photo to a post that talks about a non-visual idea, but there always be a picture, even if it’s not directly related.
There are organizations and people who dedicate their time to helping communities embrace technology. Writing about the work of these organizations regularly would be both unique and interesting.
I think a weekly or bi-weekly video podcast that involved original reporting on Chicago community technology activism could be great addition, and attract more attention.
Community
The community I’ve developed over the past few months is composed of people interested in one or both of these two things:
SOCIAL JUSTICE
or
TECHNOLOGY
Most of the people I was able to survey for this report have no specific interest in technology, but many found the content of the site interesting. I have received comments on some posts from techies, which I believe shows that the content can appeal to a different crowds.
The people who read the site regularly now are primarily friends and relatives. But there are other sources where I have picked up new readers.
Plan
In order from easy to hard:
- Photos or video with every post. The site is clean and easy to read, but it is too bland.
- Write about the technology other sites are covering, but focus on the social impact it can have on disenfranchised communities and developing nations. Connect with other technology sites to build a audience of technology readers interested in social justice issues.
- Direct attention to the organizations and people helping communities embrace technology. In Chicago and around the world.
- Write more posts and spend more time thoroughly following issues that I bring up. Give readers more interesting things to read, more often.
- Video Podcasts with original reporting on a regular basis. Create a video channel that compliments the daily content of the website.