Gauravonomics Blog

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At the recent e-STAS Symposium on Technologies for Social Action, it became evident to me that there are two dramatically different paradigms of digital activism: empowering with information and engaging with inspiration.

In the first paradigm of digital activism, you work with a disadvantaged group that suffers from limited access to even the most basic information and tools for self-expression. So, you use simple-to-use digital devices like Nokia mobile phones and Flip video cameras and simple-to-use digital technologies like text messages and online video to enable them to access basic information and share their own stories. Frontline SMS, Ushahidi, Freedom Fone and Video Volunteers are good examples of the ‘empowering with information’ paradigm of digital activism.

In the second paradigm of digital activism, you work with a group that is anything but disadvantaged. This group is at ease with using always on internet and mobile devices, both for instantaneous access to information and for self-expression and social interaction. Here, the digital activist isn’t trying to solve a crisis of capability, but a crisis of caring. Here, the aim is not to empower with information, but to engage with inspiration. Move On and iJanaagraha are examples of the ‘engaging with inspiration’ paradigm of digital activism.  Read More

As part of my 2009 Society for New Communications Research Fellowship, I gave a talk titled ‘SMS as a Social Networking Platform’ at the 2009 NewComm Forum in San Francisco on April 29.

I started off by saying that one of the most important lessons my research on social media in the emerging BRIC countries has taught me is that marketers, and entrepreneurs, can learn a lot from digital activists, especially about engaging people who aren’t going to spend much, or anything at all, at little or no cost.

Then, I used several examples to illustrate my three big ideas.

1) The $50 mobile phone will continue to be the default computing device for billions of users in Asia and Africa.

2) SMS (not WAP, GPRS or 3G) will be the primary technology for web access for these users.

3) The ecosystem to create a social networking platform entirely on SMS is slowly emerging.

Then, I used my 4Cs Social media Framework to identify the features an ideal social networking platform should have and speculated that it can be replicated for the $50 mobile phone by doing all the transaction on SMS and running all the algorithms in the cloud.  Read More

NYT reports on the paradox of high growth with low profit potential that web 2.0 companies have to deal with in international markets –

Web companies that rely on advertising are enjoying some of their most vibrant growth in developing countries. But those are also the same places where it can be the most expensive to operate, since Web companies often need more servers to make content available to parts of the world with limited bandwidth. And in those countries, online display advertising is least likely to translate into results.

This intractable contradiction has become a serious drag on the bottom lines of photo-sharing sites, social networks and video distributors like YouTube. It is also threatening the fervent idealism of Internet entrepreneurs, who hoped to unite the world in a single online village but are increasingly finding that the economics of that vision just do not work.

Perhaps, a lighter version of the service in bandwith-starved Asia and Africa is not such a bad thing. Perhaps, Asia and Africa should build their own web 2.0 companies that are designed for low bandwidth.

As part of my 2009 Society for New Communications Research Fellowship, I’ll be doing a talk titled ‘SMS as a Social Networking Platform’ at the 2009 NewComm Forum in San Francisco on April 29 –

Even as location-aware smart phones drive the next wave of innovation in the developed world, $50 mobile phones will continue to be the only computing device for millions of people in Asia and Africa, for at least a decade. Mobile users in Asia and Africa will continue to rely on SMS and voice, and ubiquitous mobile web access will continue to be elusive. Therefore, we need to look at SMS as the default social networking platform for emerging Asia and Africa and imagine a social network where all transactions, including registration, discovery and friending, happen exclusively on SMS.

In some ways, this is already beginning to happen. Mainstream social networking websites like Facebook, mobile social networking services like Twitter, and specialized services like Ushahidi are increasingly relying on SMS to extend their reach in emerging countries. Several SMS only services are also trying to replicate various aspects of web browsing and social networking on SMS.  Read More

The Economic Times (via Appfrica) –

African and Middle Eastern countries are becoming new playground for the Indian mobile value-added services (VAS) industry. With improvement in telecom infrastructure, mobile markets in these countries are growing at a fast pace, inspiring Indian VAS players to explore new markets there. The markets are also attractive because operators are able to charge a mind-boggling 250 times more in these countries than what they charge in India.

Services typically aimed at enriching livelihood and enhancing lifestyles – mBanking, mRemittances, SMS-based information, entertainment-based services and tailor-made initiatives for rural markets -are being offered in the new markets.

I know that mobile access charges are mostly reasonsble in India, but they aren’t low enough for telecom operators to get away with charging 250 times more! Ashish, what do you say?

In my previous post on Nokia’s research on mobile phone use at the bottom of the pyramid, I talked about the practice of sharing mobile phones and the challenges in designing a user interface for illiterate mobile phone users.

In this post, I’ll talk about the informal service infrastructure that supports mobile phone use at the bottom of the pyramid.

Here, Jan Chipchase documents informal repair cultures in the developing world and asks –

What can we learn from informal repair cultures? Aside from the benefits, what are the risks for consumers and for companies whose products are repaired, refurbished and resold? Given the benefit to (bottom of the pyramid) consumers are there elements of the repair ecosystem that can be exported to other cultures? Can the same skills be applied to other parts of the value chain? And, given the range of resources and skills available what would it take to turn cultures of repair into cultures of innovation?

Here, Jan Chipchase and Duncan Burns explore street hacks for mobile phones (an update of the informal repair culture presentation) –

Here, Stuart Henshall (not from Nokia) shares his experience in buying a ‘China phone’ at Mumbai’s Manish Market.  Read More

(Cross-posted on my fellowship blog and MobiChange)

The story on using mobile innovations for development in Africa has been unfolding for a while now, but it has become even more prominent since the Surprising Africa special at the Picnic 2008 conference in Amsterdam and the MobileActive 2008 conference in Johannesburg.

Here’s what some of the people who are writing the story on mobile-based social innovation in Africa have to say about it.

Ethan Zuckerman from Golbal Voices –

If Africa is surprising, then you’re not paying enough attention.

Jonathan Gosier from AppAfrica (link) —

For social entrepreneurs and investors, the innovation occurring here is a huge sign of progress that could potentially change the continent’s world standing forever. The most exciting aspect for me, however, is the decreased reliance on developmental aid and foreign groups to provide these solutions. The number of African developers who are beginning to create applications that offer solutions for their own communities is increasing and that, more than anything else, will shape the future of Africa.

Eric Hersman from Ushahidi (link/ slides) –  Read More