A Platform Studies Approach to the Role of Technology in the ICTD Ecosystem: The SMS in m4d Interventions. (30th August 2016)
- Record Type:
- Journal Article
- Title:
- A Platform Studies Approach to the Role of Technology in the ICTD Ecosystem: The SMS in m4d Interventions. (30th August 2016)
- Main Title:
- A Platform Studies Approach to the Role of Technology in the ICTD Ecosystem: The SMS in m4d Interventions
- Authors:
- Loudon, Melissa
- Abstract:
- Abstract : We have good evidence – not least from widespread adoption – that mobile communications can improve the lives of the poor. Building on this success, interventions using mobile technology to tackle development problems have become common in ICT4D. The short message service (SMS), which works on even basic phones, is a popular platform for mobiles for development (m4d) apps and services. This paper documents the historical origins and technical characteristics of SMS as a platform for m4d interventions, demonstrating how inherent technological rigidities in the platform combine with creative adaptation, appropriation and re-use to produce a particular set of affordances and constraints. I argue that optimism about the potential for new technologies to contribute to development should be tempered by awareness that the developing world is seldom the intended audience of technology development. Approaches from the social construction of technology – infrastructure studies and platform studies – contribute to a holistic and historicized understanding of the role of technology in the information and communication technology ecosystem.
- Is Part Of:
- Information technology for development. Volume 22(2016)Supplement 1
- Journal:
- Information technology for development
- Issue:
- Volume 22(2016)Supplement 1
- Issue Display:
- Volume 22, Issue 1 (2016)
- Year:
- 2016
- Volume:
- 22
- Issue:
- 1
- Issue Sort Value:
- 2016-0022-0001-0000
- Page Start:
- 7
- Page End:
- 25
- Publication Date:
- 2016-08-30
- Subjects:
- mobile for development -- m4d -- mobile services -- short message service (SMS) -- ICT ecosystems -- platform studies
Information technology -- Developing countries -- Periodicals
Electronic data processing -- Developing countries -- Periodicals
004 - Journal URLs:
- http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/titd20/current ↗
http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals/titd ↗
http://www.tandfonline.com/ ↗ - DOI:
- 10.1080/02681102.2015.1121858 ↗
- Languages:
- English
- ISSNs:
- 0268-1102
- Deposit Type:
- Legaldeposit
- View Content:
- Available online (eLD content is only available in our Reading Rooms) ↗
- Physical Locations:
- British Library DSC - 4496.368810
British Library DSC - BLDSS-3PM
British Library HMNTS - ELD Digital store - Ingest File:
- 841.xml