1) The document summarizes findings from a five-year study across eight countries on the impact of public access to information and communication technologies (ICTs). 2) It found that public access venues provide many users with their first experience using computers and the internet, and for some users it is the only option for ICT access. Using these venues helps develop users' ICT skills. 3) While impacts vary, public access was found to support communications, education, and access to services. It can also serve as a stepping stone to private ICT access and skills development. The benefits of public access extend beyond direct users to their social networks as well.

1. The Impact of Public Access to ICTs
Findings from a Five-Year, Eight-Country Study
François Bar, Chris Coward, Lucas Koepke, Chris Rothschild,
Araba Sey, George Sciadas
ICTD 2013
Cape Town, South Africa
8 December, 2013

2. The solution to
development!
Invest, invest,
invest!
(SIMPLISTIC) HISTORY OF PUBLIC ACCESS TO ICTS
High
expectations!
 peregrinari
 Mark Surman
 Mark Surman
 CSC India

3. PUBLIC ACCESS ICT RESEARCH
Major ICTD research focus in the 2000s, but…
 Overall evidence is inconclusive
 Anecdotal evidence of impact
 Scattered, isolated studies
 No studies on indirect impacts or impacts on non-users
 Claims “disadvantaged” populations not being reached
 Conflicting claims about public access ICT models

4. ARE PUBLIC ACCESS ICT VENUES…
failures?
 make_change
frivolous?
 mikekogh
needed?  digital.democracy
irrelevant? DFID

5. RESEARCH DESIGN

6. this is a blank slide for photos or graphics
Lithuania
Ghana
Botswana
South Africa
Bangladesh
Philippines
Chile
Brazil
RESEARCH SITES

7. libraries telecenters cybercafés
DIFFERENT MODELS OF PUBLIC ACCESS

8. SURVEY SAMPLE
8
Venue breakdown by country
Libraries Cybercafés Telecenters Other Total
Bangladesh 4 99 148 0 251
Brazil 6 192 39 5 242
Chile 71 109 22 41 243
Ghana 4 220 14 12 250
Philippines 18 229 13 1 261
Total 103 849 236 59 1,247
User Survey: Non-User Survey:
- 5,010 total (~1,000 in each country) - 2,000 total (~400 in each country)
Venue Survey:
- 1,247 total (~250 in each country)

9. USER SNAPSHOT
Majority of users are:
 Young (68% under 25 years old)
 Male (65%)
 Educated (82% high school +)
 Students (44%)
 Employed (39%)
 Proficient in English (74%)
Majority of users:
 Have +3 years computer & internet experience
(60%)
 Have medium or high computer skills (80%)
 Have medium or high Internet skills (69%)
 Own ICTs:
• Computers (56%)
• Internet access (28%)
• TV (95%)
• Radio (83%)
• Mobile phone (96%)
 Jewish Agency
 Corycam
10

10. DIGITAL INCLUSION
 Dorian V.

11. THE CRITICAL FIRST TOUCH
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Bangladesh Brazil Chile Ghana Philippines
%ofusers
First use of computer at public access venue First use of Internet at public access venue
 A public access venue provided:
• first ever contact with computers (50%)
• first ever contact with the Internet (62%)

12. ONLY OPTION FOR ACCESS
 Public access venues were
the only source of access
to the Internet for at least
a third (33%) of survey
respondents
 The majority of
respondents (over 55%)
expect a decrease in their
use of computers and the
internet if public access
venues are no longer
available 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
To get help from other users
To get help from venue staff
Better equipment than home
or work
No other option for computer
access
To work or be with friends or
other people
No other option for Internet
access
Main reasons for using public access venues

13. DEVELOPING ICT SKILLS
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
Public access venue Home School
Computer
Internet
Most important place where computer and internet skills were developed

14. SOCIAL & ECONOMIC IMPACTS

15. PERCEIVED IMPACTS VARY
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Communication with family & friends
Education
Pursuing interests & hobbies
Meeting new people
Pursuing other leisure activities
Time savings
Access to employability resources & skills
Financial savings
Access to government information &
services
Local language/culture activities
Health
Income
Sending or receiving remittances
Positive
None
Negative

16. DOMAIN USE
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
Communications
& Leisure
Education Employment &
Income
Culture &
Language
Health Governance
% of users engaged in each domain in the last 12 months

17. USER NEEDS DRIVE USE
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Didn't have the
need
Didn't think of it No specific
reason
Security of my
information
Privacy Some other
reason
%ofusers
Reasons for not using public access (by domain)
Employment & Income Education Health Governance Culture & Language

18. Did you
search for a
job? (57%)
Did you find
information
to apply?
(89%)
Did you
apply?
(91%)
GOAL ACHIEVEMENT
Did you search
for info on how to
use government
services? (64%)
Did you find
information
you were
looking for?
(94%)
Do you feel
more
knowledgeable
on how to
use? (95%)
Employment & Income
Governance

19. HIDDEN IMPACTS
DIRECT
 19% of non-users surveyed were former public access users
 35% of ex-users first used the Internet at a public access venue
INDIRECT
 60% of non-users have family or friends who use public access
 Up to 63% perceive positive impacts from family/friend’s use

20. COMMUNICATIONS CAN
LEAD TO OTHER DOMAINS
21

21. MORE THAN FUN & GAMES
94%
6%
Has using public access
computers for
communications and leisure
improved your overall ICT
skills?
Yes No
Non-instrumental uses (gaming,
social) can lead to instrumental
(employability) skills

22. Is public access a
stepping stone or complement
to private access?

23. MOBILE PHONE USERS
 Almost all users surveyed have a
mobile phone (96%)
 The majority (88%) of public access
users use a mobile phone daily or
almost daily
 Only 4% of non-users don’t use
public access venues because of
mobile phones ICT4Gov.net
In-depth study of South African teens:
 Complementarity of mobile internet
and public access
 Opportunity for public access to
better embrace mobiles Marion Walton

24. PUBLIC + PRIVATE ACCESS
% of public access users with internet at home, by country
Many public access users also have home internet

25. SEEKING HELP: THE BANGLADESH CASE
0
10
20
30
40
50
All Bangladesh Brazil Chile Ghana Philippines
%ofusers
% seeking staff assistance (every time or most times)
26

26. STEPPING STONE AT WORK TOO
Some former public access users now use ICTs elsewhere
Former public access users who are computer users, by country (%)

27. POINTS TO PONDER
Where public access excels
• Digital inclusion – technology access, first touch, ICT skills
• Opportunity for social & economic impacts
• Benefits extend to non-users
Public access is a part of a larger information ecology
• People use a variety of tools and resources for communication &
information needs
• New technologies don’t always supplant older ones
Rethink the value of communications and “frivolous” activities
• Communications and social networking is a critical asset for
economic, social, and personal well-being
• Gaming and other non-serious uses have benefits for skills,
employability, and other instrumental outcomes
28

28. OPEN DATA
Inventory database
www.globalimpactstudy.org

29. Technology & Social Change Group
University of Washington Information School
tascha.uw.edu | @taschagroup
Thank You
Chris Coward
ccoward@uw.edu