Rand Review Article on International Internet Roadblocks

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

------ Forwarded Message
From: "C. M. Colee" <cmcolee () iadfw net>
Date: Sat, 21 Dec 2002 01:12:05 -0600
To: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Subject: Rand Review Article on International Internet Roadblocks

from the December issue of the Rand Review
 
complete article at
http://www.rand.org/publications/randreview/issues/rr.12.02/connections.html
 
Poor Connections
Trouble on the Internet Frontiers
Numerous obstacles keep the information revolution from spreading unfettered
to the furthest reaches of the globe. RAND researchers have looked at four
regions where the "information superhighway" has hit roadblocks: China,
Russia, Latin America, and parts of the Middle East. The researchers map the
obstacles unique to each region and, where possible, point the way toward
potentially overcoming them.
Here are the key findings:
 

In China, the government's crackdown on dissidents is currently succeeding
in cyberspace. However, as the use of the Internet expands across China as a
cornerstone of economic development, the government will have a harder time
suppressing information, perhaps making it easier for dissidents to push the
country toward pluralization and maybe even democracy.
 
In Russia, a similar tension exists between the urge to reap the economic
benefits of the information revolution and the urge to control information
that could threaten political stability or national security. Unlike China,
however, it is unclear if Russia has either the will or the capability to
become a full-fledged participant in the revolution in the foreseeable
future. 
 
Latin American countries are at various stages of the revolution, yet many
of the countries face similar difficulties: the scarcity of credit cards
with which to pay for e-commerce, poor infrastructure for delivering
purchases, and popular distrust of delivery procedures. Other hindrances
include poor education, the flight of skilled people to the United States,
and desires for national or regional autonomy. Mexico may offer the most
promising model for overcoming some of these obstacles.
 
Afghanistan and the developing countries of the Middle East are missing out
on much of the revolution. Many of the countries resist the revolution.
Meanwhile, efforts to spread the revolution in these countries give too
little consideration to the plight of marginalized people and fail to build
on the strengths of the local environment. Nevertheless, the establishment
of local Internet centers with a "human face" could facilitate Internet use
in small towns and villages.


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