Ema エマ

Ema エマ

emanuel@labonneheure.ch

Wadaiko and Eisa instructor. Sanshin and Santur player. DJ.

Location:: Basel

Schweiz

How to Build a Low-tech Internet

Basel, Schweiz Wed, 20 May 2020 10:06:51 +0200

Ema エマ

emanuel@labonneheure.ch

More than half of the global population does not have access to the “worldwide” web. Up to now, the internet is mainly an urban phenomenon, especially in “developing” countries. Telecommunication companies are usually reluctant to extend their network outside cities due to a combination of high infrastructure costs, low population density, limited ability to pay for services, and an unreliable or non-existent electricity infrastructure. Even in remote regions of “developed” countries, internet connectivity isn’t always available.

Internet companies such as #Facebook and #Google regularly make headlines with plans for connecting these remote regions to the internet. Facebook tries to achieve this with drones, while Google counts on high-altitude balloons. There are major technological challenges, but the main objection to these plans is their commercial character. Obviously, Google and Facebook want to connect more people to the internet because that would increase their revenues. Facebook especially receives lots of criticism because their network promotes their own site in particular, and blocks most other internet applications.

Meanwhile, several research groups and network enthusiasts have developed and implemented much cheaper alternative network technologies to solve these issues. Although these low-tech networks have proven their worth, they have received much less attention. Contrary to the projects of internet companies, they are set up by small organisations or by the users themselves. This guarantees an open network that benefits the users instead of a handful of corporations. At the same time, these low-tech networks are very energy efficient.

https://solar.lowtechmagazine.com/2015/10/how-to-build-a-low-tech-internet.html

Colectivo Disonancia wrote the following post Thu, 14 May 2020 19:55:41 +0200

AUTONOMÍA TECNOLÓGICA CON REDES DE BAJA TECNOLOGÍA

Actualmente, la comunicación por internet es esencial para poder compartir información y organizarnos. La capacidad que tengamos de coordinar y apoyar diversas iniciativas de transformación radical dependerá de cuánta autonomía tengamos sobre estos beneficios de internet.

Lamentablemente, el desarrollo capitalista de la tecnología nos ha forzado a una situación de permanente dependencia de grandes corporaciones e infraestructuras privadas que controlan internet.

El artículo “Cómo construir una Internet de Baja Tecnología”, del proyecto Low Tech Magazine, aborda las posibilidades y ventajas de construir y mantener redes alternativas de “baja tecnología”.