Getting the Numbers Straight Mobile Internet Usage by Low-Income South African Youth Tino Kreutzer Centre for Film and Media Studies University of Cape Town

The Challenge Extreme growth of cell phone usage across Africa Much talk about new opportunities Some research in certain fields on the opportunities of cell phone usage, but lack of reliable underlying data GSM Association: Growth of mobile subscribers in Africa

Extreme growth of cell phone usage across Africa

Much talk about new opportunities

Some research in certain fields on the opportunities of cell phone usage, but lack of reliable underlying data

The Challenge Industry reported data is insufficient Only shows number of active SIM cards Multiple SIM card use and shared phones Household surveys – often too broad, not always reliable Detailed quantitative data hard to obtain

Industry reported data is insufficient

Only shows number of active SIM cards

Multiple SIM card use and shared phones

Household surveys – often too broad, not always reliable

Detailed quantitative data hard to obtain

The South African case Extreme inequalities among racial groups for Internet usage – a challenge Research remains locked down Source: AMPS 2007 All Media and Product Survey 2007: Internet used among 16-19-year-olds

Extreme inequalities among racial groups for Internet usage – a challenge

Research remains locked down

Getting the Numbers Straight - The Project Obtain detailed reliable quantitative data on cell phone usage by South African youth Multi-level piloting of quantitative survey methods Cultural probes and individual interviews to get the questions right

Obtain detailed reliable quantitative data on cell phone usage by South African youth

Multi-level piloting of quantitative survey methods

Cultural probes and individual interviews to get the questions right

Research Stages 2008 2009 Pilot study: a township high school (May 2008) Urban in-depth study: Cape Town metro area (November 2008) Other countries: starting 2009/2010 National study: 2009 2010

Pilot study results Pilot a quantitative approach and specific questionnaire design in an urban extreme case high school in Samora Machel township – a very low-income neighborhood Urban Pilot Study

Pilot a quantitative approach and specific questionnaire design in an urban extreme case high school in

Samora Machel township – a very low-income neighborhood

Gadget usage and ownership Pilot study results – N=66

Personal communication on the previous day Pilot study results – N=66

Internet and Web usage on the previous day Internet on traditional computer on the previous day: 20% Pilot study results – N=66

Entertainment on the previous day Pilot study results – N=66

Mobile instant messaging on the previous day Pilot study results – N=66

Usage micro factors on the previous day Very high expenditure: on average R30 or $4 per week - about half of all expenses Pilot study results – N=66

Getting the questions right Conceptual challenges: no shared vocabulary Cultural probes and interviews to identify survey weaknesses Detailed activity questions on online activities

Conceptual challenges: no shared vocabulary

Cultural probes and interviews to identify survey weaknesses

Detailed activity questions on online activities

Getting the questions right

Current Research Urban in-depth study: Bottom 50% most deprived neighborhoods in Cape Town metro area (N=600)

Next steps Current research published in November 2008 Regional and national level research 2009 Other African countries Qualitative follow-up Partners! Cooperation!

Current research published in November 2008

Regional and national level research 2009

Other African countries

Qualitative follow-up

Partners! Cooperation!

All results tinokreutzer.org/mobile Email/MXit/GTalk tino.kreutzer @ gmail.com

All results

tinokreutzer.org/mobile

Email/MXit/GTalk tino.kreutzer @ gmail.com