Who is in charge of the future of the internet? | Payal Arora | TEDxErasmusUniversity

leisure and poverty what are the two

leisure and poverty what are the two have in common what if I told you that

have in common what if I told you that

have in common what if I told you that not only are they both deeply connected

not only are they both deeply connected

not only are they both deeply connected but together they could reveal the

but together they could reveal the

but together they could reveal the future of the Internet quite a bit of a

future of the Internet quite a bit of a

future of the Internet quite a bit of a leap here so stay with me on this what

leap here so stay with me on this what

leap here so stay with me on this what do we know about the poor and the

do we know about the poor and the

do we know about the poor and the digital life today we know that three

digital life today we know that three

digital life today we know that three billion people about half the world’s

billion people about half the world’s

billion people about half the world’s population live in $2 a day

population live in $2 a day

population live in $2 a day we know that majority of them are young

we know that majority of them are young

we know that majority of them are young and live outside the West and are fast

and live outside the West and are fast

and live outside the West and are fast getting online thanks to the mobile

getting online thanks to the mobile

getting online thanks to the mobile phone in fact there are just as many

phone in fact there are just as many

phone in fact there are just as many mobile phone subscribers in Nigeria and

mobile phone subscribers in Nigeria and

mobile phone subscribers in Nigeria and South Africa as there are in the United

South Africa as there are in the United

South Africa as there are in the United States there are most cell phones than

States there are most cell phones than

States there are most cell phones than people in China and if you look at a

people in China and if you look at a

people in China and if you look at a list of the top countries of the most

list of the top countries of the most

list of the top countries of the most Facebook users you will see India and

Facebook users you will see India and

Facebook users you will see India and Brazil ranked number 2 and 3 on that

Brazil ranked number 2 and 3 on that

Brazil ranked number 2 and 3 on that list evidently this has excited

list evidently this has excited

list evidently this has excited development agencies by far at last they

development agencies by far at last they

development agencies by far at last they say the Internet can help end poverty as

say the Internet can help end poverty as

say the Internet can help end poverty as you know it so they’re calling upon

you know it so they’re calling upon

you know it so they’re calling upon innovators of all stripes to build

innovators of all stripes to build

innovators of all stripes to build applications to enable the poor to

applications to enable the poor to

applications to enable the poor to access all kinds of public services from

access all kinds of public services from

access all kinds of public services from health care to education sounds like a

health care to education sounds like a

health care to education sounds like a great plan right so how’s it going so

great plan right so how’s it going so

great plan right so how’s it going so far

far

far so I researched the internet and

so I researched the internet and

so I researched the internet and developing countries so let me tell you

developing countries so let me tell you

developing countries so let me tell you first about a one of my first projects

first about a one of my first projects

first about a one of my first projects that I was involved with more than a

that I was involved with more than a

that I was involved with more than a decade ago it was in the small town in

decade ago it was in the small town in

decade ago it was in the small town in the south of India it was an ambitious

the south of India it was an ambitious

the south of India it was an ambitious project the idea was to infuse the town

project the idea was to infuse the town

project the idea was to infuse the town with all kinds of new technologies so

with all kinds of new technologies so

with all kinds of new technologies so the poor could leapfrog their way out of

the poor could leapfrog their way out of

the poor could leapfrog their way out of poverty so what was done kiosks were set

poverty so what was done kiosks were set

poverty so what was done kiosks were set up everywhere like ATMs of information

up everywhere like ATMs of information

up everywhere like ATMs of information the vision was that women would check

the vision was that women would check

the vision was that women would check health information farmers could check

health information farmers could check

health information farmers could check crop prices and kids could learn words

crop prices and kids could learn words

crop prices and kids could learn words of English through these kiosks vans

of English through these kiosks vans

of English through these kiosks vans were sent out to remote villages

were sent out to remote villages

were sent out to remote villages just spread the joys of the internet and

just spread the joys of the internet and

just spread the joys of the internet and cyber cafes are set up for more tedious

cyber cafes are set up for more tedious

cyber cafes are set up for more tedious tasks like downloading government forms

tasks like downloading government forms

tasks like downloading government forms and searching for jobs right so couple

and searching for jobs right so couple

and searching for jobs right so couple months went by and we started hear

months went by and we started hear

months went by and we started hear rumors about the project people really

rumors about the project people really

rumors about the project people really liked it but not for the reasons we

liked it but not for the reasons we

liked it but not for the reasons we imagined the kiosks became gaming

imagined the kiosks became gaming

imagined the kiosks became gaming stations the vans came to be known as

stations the vans came to be known as

stations the vans came to be known as movie vans because they would show free

movie vans because they would show free

movie vans because they would show free movies to all the villagers to get their

movies to all the villagers to get their

movies to all the villagers to get their attention and the cyber cafes came to be

attention and the cyber cafes came to be

attention and the cyber cafes came to be known as friendship cafes the cafe

known as friendship cafes the cafe

known as friendship cafes the cafe owners they swore by social networking

owners they swore by social networking

owners they swore by social networking sites like orchid the Facebook of the

sites like orchid the Facebook of the

sites like orchid the Facebook of the day because it kept their businesses

day because it kept their businesses

day because it kept their businesses alive so what’s the takeaway here it’s

alive so what’s the takeaway here it’s

alive so what’s the takeaway here it’s obviously that the poor are more like

obviously that the poor are more like

obviously that the poor are more like you and me than we imagined in fact

you and me than we imagined in fact

you and me than we imagined in fact since then every single project I’ve

since then every single project I’ve

since then every single project I’ve been on has yielded similar results

been on has yielded similar results

been on has yielded similar results browsing statistics today confirm the

browsing statistics today confirm the

browsing statistics today confirm the fact that whether you’re from Boston all

fact that whether you’re from Boston all

fact that whether you’re from Boston all from a favela in Brazil the most popular

from a favela in Brazil the most popular

from a favela in Brazil the most popular and most frequented sites are social

and most frequented sites are social

and most frequented sites are social networking sites gaming sites and

networking sites gaming sites and

networking sites gaming sites and pornography sites so why do we continue

pornography sites so why do we continue

pornography sites so why do we continue holding on to this myth that somehow the

holding on to this myth that somehow the

holding on to this myth that somehow the poem o virtuous online in us three

poem o virtuous online in us three

poem o virtuous online in us three reasons for this the first is that

reasons for this the first is that

reasons for this the first is that leisure is not fundable what do I mean

leisure is not fundable what do I mean

leisure is not fundable what do I mean by that

by that

by that let me explain so there’s this

let me explain so there’s this

let me explain so there’s this healthcare project launched a couple of

healthcare project launched a couple of

healthcare project launched a couple of years ago in South Asia the game mobile

years ago in South Asia the game mobile

years ago in South Asia the game mobile phones to farmers the idea was that they

phones to farmers the idea was that they

phones to farmers the idea was that they would send health updates through text

would send health updates through text

would send health updates through text messages so the project came to an end

messages so the project came to an end

messages so the project came to an end and it was time to write up the report

and it was time to write up the report

and it was time to write up the report and the data scientists found something

and the data scientists found something

and the data scientists found something astonishing what they found was that the

astonishing what they found was that the

astonishing what they found was that the majority of the data was diverted to one

majority of the data was diverted to one

majority of the data was diverted to one task and one task only pornography

task and one task only pornography

task and one task only pornography so imagine you writing up that report it

so imagine you writing up that report it

so imagine you writing up that report it would be hard for you to sort of

would be hard for you to sort of

would be hard for you to sort of convince the funders to sponsor

convince the funders to sponsor

convince the funders to sponsor pornography for the poor right so what

pornography for the poor right so what

pornography for the poor right so what did they do well they fudged a little

did they do well they fudged a little

did they do well they fudged a little and they focused on the under health

and they focused on the under health

and they focused on the under health care part thereby perpetuating this

care part thereby perpetuating this

care part thereby perpetuating this fiction that the poor are more utility

fiction that the poor are more utility

fiction that the poor are more utility driven than passion driven the second

driven than passion driven the second

driven than passion driven the second reason is that we have come to believe

reason is that we have come to believe

reason is that we have come to believe that the poor have to go through a

that the poor have to go through a

that the poor have to go through a social evolution before they can even

social evolution before they can even

social evolution before they can even think about leisure why well thanks to

think about leisure why well thanks to

think about leisure why well thanks to this theory called hierarchy of needs it

this theory called hierarchy of needs it

this theory called hierarchy of needs it was a theory that came about in the

was a theory that came about in the

was a theory that came about in the 1940s and even though thoroughly

1940s and even though thoroughly

1940s and even though thoroughly debunked today it continues to hold a

debunked today it continues to hold a

debunked today it continues to hold a tremendous influence on our thinking so

tremendous influence on our thinking so

tremendous influence on our thinking so it basically goes like this that the

it basically goes like this that the

it basically goes like this that the poor first had to satisfy the physical

poor first had to satisfy the physical

poor first had to satisfy the physical needs of food and shelter before they

needs of food and shelter before they

needs of food and shelter before they can go into this psychological needs and

can go into this psychological needs and

can go into this psychological needs and eventually they can focus on

eventually they can focus on

eventually they can focus on self-actualization so in other words

self-actualization so in other words

self-actualization so in other words it’s like me telling you that you can’t

it’s like me telling you that you can’t

it’s like me telling you that you can’t possibly think of something fun or

possibly think of something fun or

possibly think of something fun or something profound like world peace of

something profound like world peace of

something profound like world peace of freedom until and unless your stomach is

freedom until and unless your stomach is

freedom until and unless your stomach is full

full

full obviously Gandhi and the life did not

obviously Gandhi and the life did not

obviously Gandhi and the life did not get that memo

get that memo

get that memo so the third reason is that leisure is

so the third reason is that leisure is

so the third reason is that leisure is seen as dangerous history is a great

seen as dangerous history is a great

seen as dangerous history is a great guide here in the industrial era leisure

guide here in the industrial era leisure

guide here in the industrial era leisure in the hands of the rich was seen as a

in the hands of the rich was seen as a

in the hands of the rich was seen as a sign of culture in the hands of the poor

sign of culture in the hands of the poor

sign of culture in the hands of the poor it was an instrument of trouble so

it was an instrument of trouble so

it was an instrument of trouble so basically the idea was to get the poor

basically the idea was to get the poor

basically the idea was to get the poor to labor as much and leisure as less so

to labor as much and leisure as less so

to labor as much and leisure as less so they would have less time to think and

they would have less time to think and

they would have less time to think and act upon this tremendous social

act upon this tremendous social

act upon this tremendous social inequality they live with it is no

inequality they live with it is no

inequality they live with it is no wonder that it took more than a century

wonder that it took more than a century

wonder that it took more than a century for the poor to gain access to a public

for the poor to gain access to a public

for the poor to gain access to a public park or even the right to a weekend so

park or even the right to a weekend so

park or even the right to a weekend so what do we do about this well we can

what do we do about this well we can

what do we do about this well we can start by first acknowledge

start by first acknowledge

start by first acknowledge that the poor have the right to leisure

that the poor have the right to leisure

that the poor have the right to leisure like everyone else also funders should

like everyone else also funders should

like everyone else also funders should keep funding but if they remotely

keep funding but if they remotely

keep funding but if they remotely serious and using the Internet to

serious and using the Internet to

serious and using the Internet to empower the poor they need to first

empower the poor they need to first

empower the poor they need to first motivate the poor to adopting these new

motivate the poor to adopting these new

motivate the poor to adopting these new technologies and leisure is the key

technologies and leisure is the key

technologies and leisure is the key gateway to the Internet

gateway to the Internet

gateway to the Internet look I don’t want you to attend to the

look I don’t want you to attend to the

look I don’t want you to attend to the poor because you have to I want you to

poor because you have to I want you to

poor because you have to I want you to attend to the pool because you want to

attend to the pool because you want to

attend to the pool because you want to and trust me you want to we all love the

and trust me you want to we all love the

and trust me you want to we all love the Internet here and what is the Internet

Internet here and what is the Internet

Internet here and what is the Internet really but the culmination of the

really but the culmination of the

really but the culmination of the collective imagination and creativity of

collective imagination and creativity of

collective imagination and creativity of the users and that’s just half the

the users and that’s just half the

the users and that’s just half the world’s population now imagine now

world’s population now imagine now

world’s population now imagine now imagine opening the door to the other

imagine opening the door to the other

imagine opening the door to the other half the next three billion who are

half the next three billion who are

half the next three billion who are getting online right now think about

getting online right now think about

getting online right now think about that for a moment by letting the other

that for a moment by letting the other

that for a moment by letting the other half in we would be doubling the

half in we would be doubling the

half in we would be doubling the possibilities for the future of the

possibilities for the future of the

possibilities for the future of the Internet thank you

Internet thank you

Internet thank you [Applause]