The Internet is a powerful enabler for people that decide to participate in the online community.
This is according to Saki Missiakos, MD of Internet Solutions, who spoke at the company's Internetix Conference last week.
Highlighting some of the achievements that have been accomplished because of the Internet, Missiakos said the common thread that runs between communities, including the virtual community, is participation. He revealed that while technology is the enabler, people have to decide to participate.
Speaking about the power of the Internet, Missiakos said: “I certainly liken this to what electricity and the electric grid did for the industrial revolution.”
According to Missiakos, last year's uprisings in Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt are examples of the power of the online community. For example, he said, an Egyptian protester said he used Facebook to coordinate protests, while Twitter and YouTube were used to communicate and tell the world.
Missiakos used the island Tristan da Cunha as an example of the power of the Internet. He explained that Cacuna is one of the remotest parts of the world - the only way to access the Island is to travel by boat from Cape Town, which takes five to six days.
He said in 2006, a 3.4-meter satellite dish was installed on the island, which became the catalyst for WiFi connectivity throughout the island, allowing Tristan da Cunha to be part of the Internet revolution.
According to Missiakos, this allowed local schools to have digital education, while practitioners at a local hospital were able to consult online. The Internet also provided the people on the island with a platform to sell goods to the international community.
Missiakos also spoke about Martha Payne, a nine-year-old blogger, who was able to raise money to feed underprivileged children in Africa and kick-start an effort to improve the quality of the food at school canteens in the UK.
According to Missiakos, Payne blogged pictures of her lunch meals, provided by her school's canteen. This attracted the attention of people interested in nutrition, including celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, and put pressure on schools to serve more nutritious meals in their canteens.
According to Missiakos, Payne's story is an example of the power of the online community.
Locally, Missiakos said, large parts of SA have faster access to mobile Internet than to running water and electricity.
He added that the Internet has been referred to as the fourth utility.
Despite the benefits that the Internet allows, Missiakos said many areas in SA have been unable to reap these benefits.
Finally, Missiakos called on people to send the company ideas about how to better leverage technology for the better good of the country.
People can make suggestions to Internet Solutions here info@is.co.za
Share