The Learning curve: An exploration of the digital literacy dimension to ISPs

Abstract

As the world becomes increasingly digital, there is widespread recognition of the opportunities and potential benefits of expanding access to the Internet in developing countries. In response to the optimism, the current state of the internet access landscape in Kenya is characterized by a diverse mix of dominant market-driven models, which, despite increased availability are still restrictive to low-income earners, and a growing set of non-traditional service providers seeking to anchor themselves as sustainable service providers within low-income markets. As a result, these service providers are testing new business models and technologies, incorporating digital literacy programs to reach consumers in poor neighborhoods, and sustain adoption. This study, therefore, seeks to understand how the diverse menu of internet providers, from the recent entrants to the more significant players, use digital literacy programs, to foster internet adoption in the low-income community of Kibera. This study will look at a cross-section of internet providers in Kibera to understand whether they provide ways to educate the potential user about the possibilities of internet use and if they learn from the success and failures of their approach. A focused investigation on the digital literacy engagements used by the abovementioned ISPs is analyzed together with their service provider for internet adoption, revealing that the current digital literacy environment favors profit-led internet service providers. At the same time, neighborhood and community-led service providers are disproportionately burdened, adding to the challenges faced in using data literacy to build local relevance in accessing the Internet.