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clay dubeChina's Ministry of Information Industry reported that the nation has more than 400 million cell phone users (399 million at the end of January) with more than 300 million cell phone subscriptions. China crossed the 300 million user threshhold just last year. Already China has more cell phones in use than there are people in the US, but there are still hundreds of millions more adults to be signed up. This is why the world's cell phone makers and intrastructure providers are so attentive to this market.
Many people in China and elsewhere in Asia use their phones to access web information and text messaging is extremely popular. What are possible ramifications of the spread of cell phones in China and elsewhere? Users in Beijing can already book movie tickets via their phones, but what else can be done? The Chinese government has some ideas. In 1999 members of Falungong used their phones to organize a silent (perhaps except for ringing phones) protest in front of the Zhongnanhai compound where China's leaders live and work. About 10,000 participated in this unprecedented protest against a government decision to not let Falungong become an officially registered (and therefore legal) religious group. The technology has already proven its potential for aiding dissident organizers. And last spring, cell phone users in Shanghai and nearby provinces learned that the government could use the technology to convey its position as well. In the midst of a string of sometimes violent anti-Japanese popular protests, cell phone users received text messages from public security bureaus telling them that municipal governments were banning such demonstrations.
Is the technology liberating or a new tool for governmental mobilization and control? Both?
AnonymousIt's amazing how popular cell phones have become. (My little 5 year old cousin has a cell phone of her own!)
Personally, I think cell phones are great because people are able to access so much information from the palm of their hand. Not everyone can easily access a computer to connect to the Internet, as they could with a cell phone.
I have poor families in rural Kampong Cham, Cambodia who have no electricity and telephone lines, but they have cell phones. Cell phones are cheaper for the government because they don't have to put up lines, and for farmers--it's cheaper than going into the city to use a pay phone.
During the early nineties, my family would have to wait to hear of any news from Cambodia. Nowadays, if anything happens at all, my extended family would call to report it (political upheavals, natural disasters, etc).
Last year, there were several simultaneous demonstrations that occurred througout the U.S. thanks to the communication via Internet and cell phones. The cell phone is definitely the new 'pen' for this generation, as far as spreading news and ideas go.
There are always advantages/disadvantages with new technology--true, groups of people might use the cell phone for horrific purposes, but this technology and what people access when using it is a plus. It truly makes for a connected world.