Public Access ICT Across Cultures: Diversifying Participation in the Network Society

Public access venues – most often Internet café in cities and state-run rural telecenters – are places where people can use computers and the Internet. This volume offers the first systemic assessment of the impact of shared public access in the developing world, with findings from 10 countries in South America (Argentina, Chile, Peru), Asia (China, India, Malaysia, Thailand), and Africa (Cameroon, Jordan, Rwanda). The book documents the impacts of public access, positive and negative, on individuals, on society and networks, and on women, and examines the policy implications of findings.