Tactic: Using Mobile Phones for Human Rights
Hello all, welcome to the on-going discussion on the tactic: using mobile phones for human rights. Please post your comments, questions, resources, and experiences to share with the New Tactics Community.
The first resource I would like to add to this discussion is link to the Online Dialogue hosted by New Tactics in November 2007 titled: Using Mobile Phones for Action
As the online community builder at New Tactics, I am always looking for ways to enhance our website to promote more activity and collaboration among the community. This is why I am currently looking into an application that allows community members to post comments on our website by texting messages from their mobiles phones! One example of an application like this that already exists is twitter.com. If anyone has any other examples of this - or advice for me on how to it the feature to this website -- I am ALL ears!
Thanks!
Kristin Antin, Online Community Builder
Bookmark/Search this post with:
Winners of nGOmobile
We’ve just announced the winners of nGOmobile (this morning, in fact) if you’re interested and/or decide to post the details up.
The Winners are profiled at http://www.ngomobile.org/?id=13
The Press Release is at http://www.ngomobile.org/nGOmobile_2007_winners_Press_Release.pdf
And there’s a nice write-up at http://www.160characters.org/news.php?action=view&nid=2547 Ken Banks
Founder, kiwanja.net
Tactical Technology: mobile advocacy toolkit to be released May
http://www.tacticaltech.org/mobiles
Using Mobiles for AdvocacyMobile phones have fundamentally changed the way we communicate. Their proliferation in the global South is going to profoundly impact how NGOs and advocates can organise, raise awareness and increase participation.
By the end of 2007 it is estimated that about half the world will have a mobile phone connection compared to about 300 million who have computers. The mobile telephone can be seen as a 'universal device'; a 'computer in the pocket' which has potential to impact the lives of the world's poorest people; not just through voice communication but also through other applications such as funds transfer, information delivery and internet connectivity.
This opens up new potential for community participation, for delivery of services, for coordination and mass organising and for dynamic and remote publishing - all actions that have not been conceivable in the global South using the internet.
But there is a long way to go before an average NGO will have the resources and services to use this new way of reaching its full potential. Developing applications and knowledge bases for those aiming to exploit mobile technologies for NGOs and advocates throw up some serious challenges.
Tactical Tech believes mobiles will be a crucial tool for increasing the participation of marginalised communities and improving the work of those who advocate for their rights. In order to make this happen we are;