1.3 KiB
Speaker: hoegrammer Tags: refugees, digital exclusion
This talk is a call to action, and a cry for help.
Digital exclusion is a huge problem for refugees. Without passports, they can't buy mobile data. Money is also a problem for many. Wifi cafes only go so far.
The psychological necessity of communicating with family and friends is only part of it. Rumours, misinformation and lies spread like wildfire. People are not getting the information they need to make decisions about their future. They don't know what is legal and what is not. And now, unbelievably, the Greek government has decided to offer asylum registration ONLY THROUGH SKYPE, FOR FUCK'S SAKE.
I'll talk about how I failed them at Ritsona camp in recent weeks, and how I hope to do better. About the problems we face, politically and technologically.
I have only basic knowledge of networking technology, but now seems like a perfect time to learn. I'll be asking for advice on quick, simple ways to get people online, and wisdom about the politics involved as well.
Secure communication is also an issue - for volunteers working outside of the law, as well as the refugees themselves.
The ISPs, the mobile networks, the corporations will not deliver to these vulnerable people the connectivity which has become almost a human right.
If anyone's going to help them, it can only be people like us.