Despite receiving recent criticism from the development community, including philanthropist Bill Gates, don't burst Google's bubble just yet.
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While Gates acknowledges that connectivity for schools and health facilities "are good things", he also argues that Google's Project Loon is not necessarily a good idea for "the really low-income countries, unless you directly say we're going to do something about malaria".
I get the criticism that development projects should lend focus to ensuring basic needs are met for those suffering the most, and that likewise, digital inclusion is probably not the top priority for families directly affected by preventable diseases.
However, taking a wider gaze, global trade is being replicated in e-infrastructure, and preexisting relationships of power are being embedded in new technologies of communication. The fear is that the global inequality gap could potentially widen, as nations who lack e-readiness cannot fully participate in the global economic cycle, and as consequence, are left reliant on foreign aid to bridge the gap. This condition complicates Gates insinuation that improvements to health solely, will precede economic growth for the world's poorest societies.
Intentional efforts must be made to develop e-readiness and e-infrastructure. If broadband and technological diffusion is achieved in poorer societies, these tools have the potential of catalyzing economic development that's sustainable. The World Bank defines "smart development" as "the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to tackle the most pressing development problems such as poverty, access to basic services, and job creation".
The Internet provides multiple opportunities for socioeconomic development (and democratic development), thus Project Loon's promise of spreading access to broadband, in terms of availability and affordability, is crucial. In fact, any technological breakthrough that can facilitate digital inclusion more rapidly and via less expensive devices should be embraced.
As an added benefit, Google's Loon balloon technology is solar powered and uses wind to navigate, so it's environmentally sustainable as well. The only question is whether the balloons will out perform and replace costly satellite solutions such as VSAT.
However, taking a wider gaze, global trade is being replicated in e-infrastructure, and preexisting relationships of power are being embedded in new technologies of communication. The fear is that the global inequality gap could potentially widen, as nations who lack e-readiness cannot fully participate in the global economic cycle, and as consequence, are left reliant on foreign aid to bridge the gap. This condition complicates Gates insinuation that improvements to health solely, will precede economic growth for the world's poorest societies.
Intentional efforts must be made to develop e-readiness and e-infrastructure. If broadband and technological diffusion is achieved in poorer societies, these tools have the potential of catalyzing economic development that's sustainable. The World Bank defines "smart development" as "the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to tackle the most pressing development problems such as poverty, access to basic services, and job creation".
The Internet provides multiple opportunities for socioeconomic development (and democratic development), thus Project Loon's promise of spreading access to broadband, in terms of availability and affordability, is crucial. In fact, any technological breakthrough that can facilitate digital inclusion more rapidly and via less expensive devices should be embraced.
As an added benefit, Google's Loon balloon technology is solar powered and uses wind to navigate, so it's environmentally sustainable as well. The only question is whether the balloons will out perform and replace costly satellite solutions such as VSAT.
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