Network equipment riding on balloons, airships, gliders and planes could boost internet access, including in disaster zones, and improve scientific monitoring.
Democratization of communication resources substantially helps other facets. I hate this sort of knee jerk whataboutism. Aid can and should be multifaceted.
I agree, but there is a pretty substantial list of stuff to arrange before internet becomes a thing people need… Granted, internet can help with some of them. But focussing on the primary things to keep people alive and allow them to Prosper seems good form.
Just an example, but I’ve worked in central Africa and was recently at a very rural hospital where there was no running water and no electricity (other than local solar), and while there they received an airborne blood delivery via drone from a facility about 100 miles and about 4 hour drive time away. This was extremely helpful and managed through Internet communication.
Internet by itself is not democratization of anything anymore. Until a cure is found to centralism, censorship and anything real being hidden by oceans of weaponized information sewage.
Democratization of communication resources substantially helps other facets. I hate this sort of knee jerk whataboutism. Aid can and should be multifaceted.
I agree, but there is a pretty substantial list of stuff to arrange before internet becomes a thing people need… Granted, internet can help with some of them. But focussing on the primary things to keep people alive and allow them to Prosper seems good form.
“Don’t you people have phones”…
Just an example, but I’ve worked in central Africa and was recently at a very rural hospital where there was no running water and no electricity (other than local solar), and while there they received an airborne blood delivery via drone from a facility about 100 miles and about 4 hour drive time away. This was extremely helpful and managed through Internet communication.
Fair enough
Internet access means access to information on all sorts of things that can improve their day to day lives.
Physical resources are also important, obviously, but the free availability of information resources genuinely is life changing.
Life changing but not necessarily for the better.
Internet by itself is not democratization of anything anymore. Until a cure is found to centralism, censorship and anything real being hidden by oceans of weaponized information sewage.