Looking Back on a Semester of INFO 3.0

Coming into this semester, I have to admit I wasn't completely sure what to expect from a class entitled "Information 3.0: Exploring Technological Tools". In my mind, I had a vague idea that we would be learning about emerging technology, but that is such a broad topic that it was difficult to conceptualize at the time what exactly we would be learning about. As we wrap up this semester however, I can honestly say that this was one of the most engaging and enjoyable classes that I have ever taken.
    
Over the course of the class, I feel that the majority of what I learned is important information and very much applicable to the real world. Learning how to maintain a blog not only gave me a better grasp on emerging Internet media but also improved my writing skills and ability to do research and apply it to making my own conclusions about a topic. I also learned a lot about some of the basic principles of web design and photography by being asked to choose the layout for my blog and attempt to create some visual representations of my topic.  This was one of the first times I was asked to write extensively on a certain topic and really explore it in depth. I thought it was really an invaluable experience because it taught me a lot about what it takes to be a credible source on a topic and I genuinely enjoyed writing about technology and developing countries so much that I am even considering minoring in International Development.

We explored an incredibly diverse range of topics over the course of the semester and I really have to commend Professor Yaros for continuously striving to keep the class interesting and fresh. I especially enjoyed the panel of the eleven Middle Eastern journalists that came to visit and found their discussion to be a really exciting and educational experience. We also discussed a lot of pressing issues such as Internet privacy, censorship, and multitasking (just to name a few). I also had the opportunity to engage with new and highly useful technologies that I was not familiar with before such as Twitter, Audioboo, Google Docs and Picasa. As a result of this class, I am now somewhat capable at using these new technologies and will definitely be making use of them in the future.

Our discussion of both the positive and negative effects of technology really opened my eyes to a lot of things I was not aware of before. One thing that this class really taught me was that technology is really a double-sided sword and that we must evaluate the negatives and positives of any potential technology and try to make the most effective and positive use of it. Thanks to this class, I feel I am much better equipped to do that. My advice to other students is to take this class because it really imparts you with valuable knowledge that is really important in today's world where we have to deal with technology so closely and frequently. I also think they'll enjoy the class otherwise because it is truly interesting subject matter and is taught by a professor who is dedicated to making sure you are engaged and interested in the course.

As a side note, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Professor Yaros and TA Guo for working so hard to make this class interesting and useful. I had a great time in this class and your dedication and passion in trying to make this class inventive and engaging was truly commendable and I look forward to taking any other courses you may offer in the future. :)

The Future Of Technology and Education in the Developing World: Bridging The Global Digital Divide

Perhaps more than anything else, a strong educational system is crucial to national development. Proper educational opportunities leads to improvements in a number of places including stronger economy, more democratic and stable government and higher standards of living for citizens. Thus, it becomes imperative that any national development program must have an emphasis on improving education and one of the primary ways in which education is improved is through technology. Over the past few decades education has been radically transformed by the introduction of new innovations such as the personal computer and the Internet. Those two technologies alone have constituted a huge shift in the way we give and receive information and educational systems all over the world have drastically changed as a result of incorporating the Internet and computers into the way they teach.

As of right now, I'm typing this up on my laptop, finding research information on the Internet and you are reading this over the Internet. In my own experience as a college student, technology plays a huge role in my academic life. I couldn't imagine not having the endless wealth of information that is the Internet at my disposal or having the indispensable piece of technology that is my laptop. These technologies provide a huge advantage to me educationally and sadly most of my counterparts in developing countries are not fortunate enough to enjoy the educational benefits of these technologies. There exists a huge discrepancy between the technologies available to citizens in developed countries and the ones available to citizens in developing countries. This gulf has been labelled by observers as the "global digital divide" and it has had an especially profound influence in the fields of educational access and quality of education. The uneven distribution of Internet accessibility across the world points to a increasingly wide gulf between the world's "information-rich" and "information poor". A 2002 World Economic Forum investigation into the "global digital divide" found that "88% of all internet users are from industrialized countries that comprise only 15% of the world's population."

One Laptop Per Child in Nigeria

Despite the sobering and bleak prognosis that these statistics provide, there are efforts being made to help bridge the "global digital divide". A non-profit organization called the One Laptop per Child Association has started a mission to "create educational opportunities for the world's poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning." The organization has sold approximately 1,494,5000 laptops to more than seventeen countries and has largely been successful, both in improving access to educational technology in the developing world  and creating market competition between computer manufacturers to make inexpensive computers that could make a drastic difference to citizens of developed countries who would otherwise be unable to afford computers.

Another crucial area which is calling for improvement is Internet accessibility in the developing world. One of the premier organizations committed to furthering Internet accessibility in the developing world is the New Partnership for Africa's Development E-School Program, which aims to provide computer and internet access to all schools in Africa within 10 years. The program is one of the most ambitious initiatives of its kind and is especially crucial for a continent in which 40% of the population is 15 years old or younger. The world is becoming more and more technologically complicated and this current generation of young Africans is at risk of falling behind. This could lead to a "lost generation" of sorts, out of touch and inexperienced with technology and thus suffering from a major disadvantage in the global job market and lower standards of living arising from lack of technological education. More programs like the NEPAD E-School program are needed all around the developing world to ensure that children all over the world have an equal opportunity to succeed as their counterparts in industrialized nations.

I'd like to close this article with a little anecdotal interlude into my own experiences as an Sudanese immigrant coming to the United States. I have been afforded with a great amount of opportunities, educational and otherwise, that people in Sudan and other impoverished countries are not fortunate enough to enjoy. What sets me apart from my less educated cousins and countrymen isn't how smart or talented I am because I've seen a lot of kids a lot smarter than I am having their potential wasted because no one has given them the kinds of opportunities their brilliance deserves. What sets us apart is the quality and number of opportunities that have been given to us and so it is of fundamental importance that efforts be made in order to bridge the gap and give all children everywhere an equal opportunity to succeed. I think that the way we can do that is through improving access to and quality of education and education technology.  The future remains to be seen but for now the first step is recognizing this problem and making an effort to try and solve it.

To serve as a comparison between the attitudes towards technology and education in America and the developed world I have included a brief interview I had with my English teaching assistant on her thoughts on technology use in classrooms below:


Sources:
http://www.eafricacommission.org/about-us
http://www.laptop.org/en/
http://h41147.www4.hp.com/emea_africa/en/partners/nepad/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_digital_divide

Picture Representations

 It was incredibly difficult trying to take photographs that would represent the concept of technology in developing countries so I will be the first to admit that both of these photographs are at best only tangentially related to my blog topic. In the first, there is a photograph of an upside down poster cutout of a young African girl taped to the elevator in my dormitory. In the second, I am using a cell phone while wearing a bracelet that I actually got as a gift in Southern Sudan.

My Reflection on Panel of Eleven Middle Eastern Journalists

    This past Thursday's discussion panel featuring the eleven Edward R. Morrow Fellows was very interesting for a variety of reasons. The eleven journalists were very eager to answer our questions and to share their own experiences and this made for a very lively and intriguing class.

     The first thing that struck me as soon as I walked into the class was how different all the journalists were from one another. Despite my own Middle Eastern background, I also often forget what a large and diverse region it is. I thought that showing the map of the different countries the journalists hailed from further illustrated this point. The journalists came from as far as Mauritania which is in Northwest Africa all the way to Oman, the easternmost country in the Middle East. I felt that the journalists' visit not only helped to educate us on topics pertaining to journalism, but it also helped bridge a few cultural gaps and furthered cultural understanding. One of the most culturally enlightening parts of the panel was listening to the female journalist from Saudi Arabia speak about the difficulties facing women wishing to pursue careers in journalism in her country. I had been somewhat familiar with the issue of gender inequality in Saudi Arabia (and the Middle East in general), I wasn't aware of the scope of the discrimination. I also was surprised when the journalist from Saudi Arabia was introduced and I found myself looking at an attractive young woman in a pantsuit. My mental image of a Saudi Arabian woman was a woman dressed in the abaya (black cloak) and with her entire body covered except for her eyes so the pantsuit and uncovered hair came as a surprise to me. It was quite interesting to me to see just how easily my stereotypical perception of a specific sort of person/nationality/culture could be challenged.

The part of the panel which was most strongly tied in with my blog topic was the discussion on freedom of the press and censorship in the home countries of the journalists, especially since virtually all of them came from countries which could be deemed as "developing". It seemed as if the biggest "red-line" that these journalists could not cross in their reporting was politics and religion. Censorship of governmental criticism seemed to be especially strong in the Middle Eastern countries where there was a monarchy or the remnants of one. I was particularly alarmed by the Moroccan journalist's tale of being detained and questioned for six days for his photographs of the queen of Morocco. Another thing that shocked me about the panel was when the Saudi Arabian journalist told us that one could be beheaded for blasphemy in Saudi Arabia. The religious intolerance in Saudi Arabia is widely known but it was still chilling to hear confirmation of it from an actual Saudi Arabian.

Despite some of the less uplifting tales that the journalists told us, overall the panel did a wonderful job of reaffirming my interest in the vocation of journalism. The journalists seemed to remain committed to their jobs of reporting the truth despite all of the difficulties and obstacles they face on a daily basis. I know they probably won't read this but I would like to thank them from coming from the bottom of my heart.

Visual Information

This photograph would be a good way to visualize my topic because meaningful information can be extracted from it. By looking at this picture you can see that these young men seem interested in the computer and that there are three of them using the single computer.This visual information could be interpreted as showing that there is a desire for more technology use in developing countries while also illustrating the lack of financial resources to bring in more technology.

This photograph would not be a good way to illustrate my topic because very little meaningful information pertaining to my topic can be gathered by seeing this photograph. By looking at this photo you can understand that this man (who is an Indian monk) has the ability to use a cell phone. While this is marginally related to my topic, it has such a dearth of meaningful visual information it cannot be considered a good photograph to illustrate my topic.

This photograph is a good example of visual information for my topic because by looking at it you can understand my topic a bit better. This picture illustrates a makeshift windmill made by a young Malawian boy named William Kamkwamba in order to bring electricity to his village. The photo represents the technological ingenuity and thirst for technology present in the developing world. The caveat with this photo however is that it may need a little accompanying textual explanation in order for the reader to fully understand its meaning.

Cell Phone Fraud

 In an increasingly digitized world, our private information is becoming more and more public and identity theft has become a very real danger in today's high tech modern society. An important way in which we access and exchange information is through the use of mobile phones, thus making mobile communication, a very susceptible target for identity theft. In this day and age, proper knowledge about cell phone information safety is a vital component of any education regarding information technology. 

Cell phone fraud is defined by the Federal Communications Commissions as the unauthorized use, tampering or manipulation of a cell phone or service. As you can imagine, this definition covers a wide range of illegal cell phone activity, including cell phone hacking, cloning, tapping, and subscriber fraud (to name a few). The diversity of the different avenues through which cell phone fraud can be committed makes the likelihood of cell phone fraud being committed much greater. Therefore, a comprehensive education on secure cell phone usage and privacy requires knowledge of many different types of cell phone fraud.

 With each type of cell phone fraud we hope to include a brief overview including how the fraud is committed, some statistics related to the topic, and hopefully a summary of a few preventative measures that can be taken against this fraud.
The first form of cell phone fraud that we will be examining is cell phone tapping. Cell phone tapping is unauthorized electronic eavesdropping on a telephone transmission. It is generally the form of cell phone fraud that most often comes to mind when one thinks of cell phone fraud. This is due to cell phone tapping's portrayal in film and television where it is often used as a plot device. Cell phone tapping however is very much a reality as there currently exists for -purchase spyware that allows you to listen in on cell phone conversations. These services are generally purchased over the Internet from websites specializing in spy technology and the customers are usually people eavesdropping on cheating spouses, employees wasting company time, and worried parents trying to keep tabs on the babysitter at home watching over their kids. Users of cell phone tapping technology can also be high profile targets, such as those involved in politics and legal cases . The websites are usually based in Taiwan, Thailand and the United Kingdom and the prices vary from $60.00 to $3,000. The purchase of this type of spyware is legal but the unauthorized use of them is not. Joe Farren, spokesperson for the Wireless Association, says, “It's very clear, without their express permission, you can't listen in on someone's phone calls, you cannot read their text messages, you can't track their movements. You can't do any of those things and there are numerous laws being broken.” If your phone line is being tapped, the phone company has the ability to stop it. Before stopping it however, they are required to verify whether or not the wiretapping is legal or not. If it is illegal, then the phone company will inform you and law enforcement to remove the device. However, if it is indeed legal, then you will not even be informed that your phone is actually being wiretapped. The federal government can be given authorization to wiretap a phone line by an official court order and by having just cause. The Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 USC 2516 also stipulates that any of these “legalized intrusions to privacy” must involve felonies and are limited to monitoring only unlawful activity. Any irrelevant information that is gathered during the wiretap cannot be utilized.  The average time limit to these types of legal wiretaps is about a month. Cell phone tapping has only recently been being used for the express purpose of identity theft. Cell phone owners sometimes transmit sensitive personal information over the phone and identity theft fraud relies primarily on these lapses in security. There are physical signs that can help you tell whether or not your phone is being tapped, namely a warm battery, hearing unexpected beeps or clicks during conversations and the cell phone turning on unexpectedly even when it is not in use. It is almost virtually impossible to detect a wiretap without the help of your phone company so consumers should be wary of products that say that they can. Traditional wiretap detectors attempted to measure voltage drop and changes in the characteristics of the phone signal but more recent tapping devices do not alter the characteristics of the phone signal at all, making these detectors obsolete and useless. There are ways people can protect themselves against having their identities stolen via wiretap. One way is keeping tabs on where your phone is at all times and making sure no one has a chance to download spyware onto it. Installing a security password and taking the battery out of your phone whenever it is not in use are also very good preventative measures against wiretapping, although this method may be a little inconvenient. Using new prepaid cell phones also helps protect against identity theft because these phones are less susceptible to having personal information accumulate on them because they are limited-use and inexpensive. Consumers should keep in mind that more expensive top-of-the-line cell phones are the most vulnerable to identity theft due to their wireless capabilities and Internet access.
Cell phone fraud can also be committed when a phone is lost or stolen. Most people store sensitive information on their cell phones, information which could be abused if it falls into the wrong hands. Many people often record private information such as their debit card PIN numbers, social security numbers and credit card PIN numbers on their phone. More commonly however, people store pictures of themselves and their family and friends, information that could be used to easily identify the owner of the phone and to determine a lot of other information about them. Sensitive private information could also be gathered from text messages. One method of collecting private information through text messages is texting questions inquiring after private information to the contacts present on a stolen phone. An example of this is sending a text to the owner of the stolen phone's spouse asking, “Hey honey, I forgot our PIN number for the bank again. Can you text it to me? Thanks!” More and more personal information is accumulated onto your phone with every use so losing your phone or having it stolen is a very dangerous thing to happen. To protect yourself from this form of cell fraud, you can avoid storing sensitive information on your phone. Also, it might be wise to avoid using names like Mom and Dad and instead use their proper names in your phone book. In addition, any pictures that may give a cell phone hacker valuable information should be removed. Finally, if you lose your phone, be sure to cancel the service immediately.
A third type of fraud is cell phone cloning, which involves someone making an illegal clone of a legal phone and using the same serial number so that the legitimate cell phone service subscriber is billed. Essentially, the “thief” can make all the calls they want without any cost. This method of cell phone fraud has been found to be prevalent in areas with a high immigrant population because immigrants want to avoid the high cost of calling home. A method of cell phone fraud that provides for the same outcome as cell phone cloning is subscriber fraud. This is accomplished by someone using another person’s name and serial number to subscribe to a cell phone plan and then having the plan billed to the person’s name on the account. Paying close attention to your cell phone bills can catch both of these types of cell phone fraud. For cell phone cloning, make sure you do not have any unknown charges on your account and for subscriber fraud be sure to not pay for any services you did not actually subscribe to.
We hope that you now feel a little more informed about the ways in which you can protect yourself from cell phone fraud. The most important thing is that you are aware of the methods in which your cell phone privacy can be abused. For further information on this topic we have included some links below.

The Nigerian Letter: Examining Internet Fraud in Developing Countries

Imagine a stranger sends you an email asking for your bank account information and all sorts of other personal information. It seems like a pretty obvious thing to ignore and relegate to the spam folder doesn't it? Now imagine the stranger is a high ranking Nigerian civil servant  who needs your help transferring millions of dollars from a suspended account in Nigeria into a foreign account and is willing to compensate you handsomely for your assistance. The email immediately becomes much more appealing and much easier to fall for. In fact, findings at the 2002 International Conference for Advance Fee Fraud indicate that millions of people have received this type of message or messages similar to it and that of the people who receive them, one percent actually end up acquiescing and sending in their personal and financial information, perhaps blinded by thoughts of instant fortune. The 2002 International Conference for Advance Fee Fraud also estimated that yearly losses to these types of scams (referred to as 419 scams because 419 is the part of the Nigerian penal code which addresses fraud schemes) total more than $100 million in the United States alone and global losses may be in excess of $1.5 billion.

There has been some research done into the psychology of the 419 scam victim and the results are fascinating. Observers have argued that people are more likely to believe something that is written in a formal manner and adorned with an official looking letterhead is more likely to be authentic, regardless of the content of the text. This could be considered an extension of the human tendency to yield to authority and overestimate the accuracy of information expressed from a position of authority. Other possible explanations offered are feeling a sense of adventurism entering the high stakes realm of international business and feeling indebted to the scammer because they extended such a gracious offer of instant fortune. These explanations account for why someone would enter such a shady business relationship but the reasons that someone would maintain such an relationship despite its obvious perils are different. The victims are given various explanations as to why the money hasn't changed hands yet, reasons like delays in paperwork and electronic processes being stalled and this serves to further their false hope. Victims also feel trapped in this scheme by all the money that they have already invested into it and feel there is no turning back after a certain point. Perhaps the victims find it too difficult to come to terms with the fact that all their efforts have been in vain and that they are ashamed that they had been duped into sending money to a complete stranger. The shame can be so unbearable in fact, that it has driven people to take their own lives. A university student named Jaiyue Wang hanged herself after losing more than 6,000 British pounds to a Nigerian 419 scam. Wang, not knowing much English and lured by the promises of quick financial gains, was tricked by an email telling her she had won 500,000 pounds in a lottery she hadn't even entered. The case of Jaiyue Wang and many others like her falling for the promise of a modern day "get rich quick scheme" illustrates the dangers of giving out your private information on the Internet and remaining vigilant to spam and the dangers of high tech information exchange.



In the process of writing this blog post I referred to these websites:
http://www.scambusters.org/NigerianFee.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/nottinghamshire/7380093.stm
http://www.caslon.com.au/419scamnote.htm#statistics

The Importance of Science And Technology For Developing Countries

Throughout history, the development of new technology has been absolutely vital for both human survival and human progress. We as a species constantly come across situations where our alternatives are either adaptation or survival and one of the main tools with which we adapt to changing conditions is with the discovery and implementation of new technologies. Another reason we strive to create new technology is not only to eke out a meagre existence but to improve our living conditions as much as possible. Technology is the primary vehicle through which humanity progresses and in the future, technology could serve to eliminate much of the biggest problems facing us as a species such as world hunger, poverty, lack of access to education and other issues.

Arguably the portion of the world most in need of technology and all the socioeconomic development that comes with it is the Third World, where living conditions are worst and technology is neglected relative to the rest of the world. Abdus Salam, the 1979 Nobel laureate in physics, once made the observation that science in developing countries is looked upon as a "marginal activity" and even considered "an ornament". This dismissive view of the power of technology to transform lives is one of the many impediments facing Africa. Lack of enough capital to properly fund technological education and research and development is another huge obstacle. Another is the lack of infrastructure and proper management to implement changes in technology policy. A reversal of these technological misfortunes can only come about as a result of renewed focus on technological education (especially in colleges and universities) and research and development in the Third World.

Despite all the obstacles facing the developing world in its journey to become as technologically proficient and aware as the developed world, there is much hope to be found all across the Third World. A shining example of the entrepreneurial and knowledge seeking spirit that is widespread all over the developing world is the story of William Kamkwamba, a Malawian teenager who used blue gum trees, bicycle parts, and materials that he collected in a local scrapyard to power his family's home. Despite being forced to leave school due to lack of tuition money and having to face the derision of his fellow villagers for undertaking a seemingly fruitless endeavor, William utilized his limited acess to education and his own ingenuity to transcend expectations and improve his life conditions and those of his family and fellow villagers. In doing so, he has provided me and others with reason to believe in the ability of the developing world to embrace technology and empower themselves with it.

I believe the research sources  used for this blog posting were credible and good sources because of the bibliography of the first source which was a research paper authored by faculty at Eastern Mediterranean University in Gazimagusa, North Cyprus. I feel confident in this source due to the comprehensive bibliography which includes such notable and trustworthy references such as Weekly Science and World Scientific. My other source was the Wall Street Journal's article on William Kamkwamba. I felt confident in using the Wall Street Journal because it is one of the most universally recognized publications in the world and widely accepted as a very credible news source.

Sources:
http://fie-conference.org/fie95/4c4/4c44/4c44.htm
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119742696302722641.html?mod=hpp_us_editors_picks

Internet Censorship In Developing Countries

Censorship is a primary tool for consolidating power and suppressing opposition in authoritarian governments and with the Internet becoming one of the major channels of information flow in modern society, Internet censorship has become an integral component of stifling information flow. Many countries practice some form of Internet censorship and most of the motivations for this censorship are similar: the need to control information flow. The reasons for this need vary however. In theocratic regimes (especially in the Middle East) any content that is regarded as immoral in the governing religion is blocked. This includes everything from pornography to gambling sites and in some cases (specifically Yemen) any material that seeks to convert its citizens to religions besides the government endorsed one. Th The other major motivation for Internet censorship is to suppress political opposition and to consolidate governmental power. Iran  The practice of Internet censorship is especially prevalent in Islamist and communist regimes and almost exclusively single party states. Of the twelve countries listed among the "Enemies of the Internet" list compiled by Reporters Without Borders, seven practice either some form of Islamism or some form of Communism and virtually all of the countries are basically single party states (some are single party states in practice rather than name). Freedom of information and uninhibited flow of information are fundamental pillars in building the foundation of a democratic society. Given free reign to seek out the information they need, citizens will be able to make informed decisions about politics and other aspects of of their own lives. Therein lies the danger of authoritarian regimes allowing their citizens total  and uncensored access to the Internet and therein lies the reason why freedom of information is so important to the national progress of developing countries and must be maintained at all costs.

Information used in this blog gathered from:
http://en.rsf.org/list-of-the-13-internet-enemies-07-11-2006,19603

"Battle For The Soul Of The Internet":http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,981132,00.html

I just read an interesting Time magazine article written in March of 2005 that described many of the issues surrounding the newly widespread use of the Internet and made a few interesting predictions as to the future of the young technology. The article starts by recounting the story of Laurence Canter and Martha Siegel, who by sending a simple message advertising their services as a husband and wife law firm became one of the first large scale Internet spammers. The case of Canter and Siegel raised a lot of issues that persist to this day such as Internet spam, the commercialization of the Internet, the rampant advertisements and the issue of proper Internet etiquette. The issues have become much more complex and have multiplied greatly as the Internet's population has increased to almost 2 billion people. At the time of the Time article's publication, the Internet's population was only about 25 million, an increase of almost 76 times. The article somewhat accurately predicts that the Internet will be a major technology in the future but fails in its prediction of the importance of the technology. It also speaks about the double sided sword aspect of the Internet, documenting the Clinton's administration's difficulty in incorporating the Internet into the education system due to the fear that providing children access to the Internet was also providing them access to the pornography that can be found on the Internet. These issues still exist in other forms today. We as a society are constantly trying to strike a balance between the negative and positive influences that technology has on our lives. I found the article very interesting both for its eerie premonitions and its wildly inaccurate predictions on the future of the Internet.

Historical Overview of Technology and The Developing World

During my last post I gave a little introduction about the topic of technology and its impact on the developing world and I thought it would be a good idea (also my professor made me) to give a brief historical overview on the topic. I hope a little background information and history would help us better understand the topic and enrich the rest of the knowledge gained through reading this blog.

Technology has been an integral component of the human experience since the beginning of time and this also rings true for the developing world where technology has been being implemented for hundreds and hundreds of years.  Some Third World countries that are considered less technologically savvy than their First World counterparts in this day and age were once bastions of technologically advancement. Sumer (which is modern day Iraq) was the birthplace of many of the most important agricultural innovations of all time. Currently monumental innovations in agriculture such as irrigation, large scale cultivation of land, mono-cropping and the use of a specialized labor force originated from Sumer. Sumer stands as one of the many examples of past technologically advanced civilizations who preceded modern countries who are relatively lagging in technological advancement. These countries have a heritage of technological advancement but have faced economic and social hardships that have hampered recent technological development.



Despite these setbacks however, the technological future of the developing world looks bright. Developing countries are closing the technological gap between them and the developed world. Countries such as China and India who were once considered Third World countries are now leading powers in the world largely due to advancements in technology. An article on the scientific impact of nations published in the magazine nature by David King (head of the UK Office of Science and Technology) shows that India, China, Iran and Brazil are the only developing countries among the 31 nations that comprise 97.5% of the world's entire scientific productivity. The remaining 162 developing countries constitute less than 2.5% of the world's total scientific productivity. This is a statistical discrepancy that needs to be addressed through increased investment and emphasis on technological research and development in the Third World. Much of India, China, Iran and Brazil's increased economic output and social progress has come about as a result of improved technology. China has solved many of its problems that as a developing nation it inevitably faces through the adoption of technology. Widespread food shortages were addressed through the development of hybrid grains such as hybrid rice which yields more crops and is less susceptible to diseases which destroy crops. Iran's nuclear program is a source of great pride in the country, a bargaining chip when it comes to the poker table of international politics and a vital energy source in a world that is trying to move away from its dependence on fossil fuels. These rapidly developing countries serve as an example to aspire to for the rest of the developing countries who are lagging behind in technological advancement.
The onus is on Third World countries to close the gap between them and First World countries with regards to technological advancement. Spending on technological research, development and education must be increased and an emphasis on adopting technology as an important part of society must be made. I believe that if these two tasks are accomplished a much brighter future lies ahead for the developing world.

Introduction To The Blog

In this blog I hope to explore and report on the various ways that technology is impacting the developing world. We will take a look at everything from the way technology is improving public health and education in developing countries to the impact social networking has had on politics in the Third World and many other interesting ways that technology is changing the lives of people living in developing countries. Technology has been quite possibly the biggest catalyst for improved standards of living since the beginning of time and with the rapid expansion of technology and development all over the world, the vital significance of technological advancement has become even more pronounced. I chose the topic of technology and developing countries because I come from Sudan where I have observed the monumental impact that technology has had on the country. Public health has been greatly aided by technological advancements in medicine and education and education and public opinion has been greatly affected by the advent of the Internet. The newly-widespread use of social networking sites has greatly influenced the way people in developing countries interact in various capacities. Everything from politics to society and even marriage proposals have been influenced by the adoption of websites such as Facebook and Myspace as integral components of one's social being. Social networking has caused a paradigm shift in the way that people all over the world relate to one another and this remains true for people living in developing countries. Technology permeates nearly every facet of society in countries all over the world and developing countries are no exception. The difference between developed and developing countries in regards to technology is how rapidly the expansion of technology is changing life conditions. While the introduction of better birth control technology and birth control education technology would not make too much of a difference in the life of an average American woman who already usually has a fair bit of education regarding birth control, the same technology would make a radical difference in the life of a rural Indian woman who probably has very little idea of proper birth control techniques due to lack of education and societal ideas regarding birth control in that area. Due to the introduction of this technology, the woman's life conditions are improved, those of her children are improved, and the overall welfare of India is improved due to the problem of overpopulation there being addressed at least in part by technology. The idea of technology improving the lives of the underprivileged and impoverished is very thrilling to me and I hope to impart some of that excitement to others via this blog.