Why 4.4 Billion People Still Don't Have Internet Access

[eridani]

http://www.npr.org/blogs/alltechconsidered/2014/10/02/353288711/why-4-4-billion-people-still-dont-have-internet-access

The question now is: How will the next billion people get online? What technologies are needed to make that happen?

The report said cost, digital literacy and infrastructure are some of the barriers that keep people offline. But there's also a lack of incentive, meaning some people don't use the Internet, even though they could, because they don't see any point. In the United States, a Pew study found that a majority of offline Americans think the Internet isn't relevant to them or too difficult to use. Only 7 percent are off the grid and unable to physically access the Internet.

Facebook has tried to address the incentive issue by making a text version of its website called "Facebook Zero." It has proved very popular in Africa, where it can be accessed free on a non-smartphone.

You can read the full report, "Offline and falling behind: Barriers to Internet adoption."

[TexasProgresive]

1. The U.S. can't even figure out how to get high speed internet to rural people

We have no access to reasonably priced internet. We only had dial up for years and finally got satellite last year which runs $50 a month for 10Gig. People in the the nearby cities get unlimited data for 13 to 15 dollars. At 10 Gig you are not going to stream any movies and as there are few places to rent them this is becoming a problem.

[randome]

2. If design skills were prized more, the Internet wouldn't be so overwhelming to many.

Most web sites are just a collage of colors and flashy graphics with no sense of organization. I can understand why some people think the Internet is too 'difficult'. Their minds aren't accustomed to having to sift through the barrage to get to what's useful.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]