I found Jon Udell’s blog about public telephones funny but also quite telling of so much more.
Found this funny but there is a serious point made about public infrastructure.https://t.co/ZpQu852CyH
This is why its so important to have a #publicserviceinternet— Ian | #blacklivesmatter | @cubicgarden (@cubicgarden) January 3, 2021
Public infrastructure is important for so many reason including for equality.
If you take the telephone as communication infrastructure and apply that same thinking to the internet infrastructure. You see a clear rationale for public wifi, public internet kiosks at public libraries, etc – Yes and also the systems which surround it. This rules out the likes of Facebook free basics, which isn’t a public service.
Interestingly the public phone is also somewhat anonymous. Data is collected once used like where the call is coming from at what time, etc; but you don’t need to register first to use them or sign in to use them. Each of the companies setup to deliver these public infrastructures have a aim of coverage not profits (or they should). There might be legitimate and less-legitimate times when you want this, but this is a choice you can make, rather than be forced into.
These all seems so obvious if you live in a country which encourages public service but worth pointing out. Plus I’m focused on the notion of a public service internet.
