- From: Ian Jacobs <ij@w3.org>
- Date: Tue, 8 Dec 2009 13:59:22 -0600
- To: w3c-news@w3.org
Hello,
W3C just issued a press release related to the publication Mobile Web
for Social Development Roadmap [1]:
"W3C today outlines a roadmap for extending the Web to rural and
underprivileged communities in developing countries. The Mobile Web
for Social Development (MW4D) Roadmap examines the challenges to
deploying and accessing development-oriented services and surveys the
technology landscape for meeting those challenges."
Read the full release online [2] and as text below.
_ Ian Jacobs, Head of W3C Communications
[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/2009/NOTE-mw4d-roadmap-20091208/
[2] http://www.w3.org/2009/12/mw4d-pressrelease
=========
W3C Outlines Roadmap for Realizing Web for Social Development
Analysis identifies current challenges to development-oriented
services on mobile devices, surveys solution landscape
_________________________________________________________
[2]Translations | [3]W3C Press Release Archive
_________________________________________________________
[2] http://www.w3.org/Press/Overview.html#x2009-mw4droadmap
[3] http://www.w3.org/Press/
[4]http://www.w3.org/ -- 8 December 2009 -- W3C today outlines a
roadmap for extending the Web to rural and underprivileged
communities in developing countries. The [5]Mobile Web for Social
Development (MW4D) Roadmap examines the challenges to deploying and
accessing development-oriented services and surveys the technology
landscape for meeting those challenges.
[4] http://www.w3.org/
[5] http://www.w3.org/TR/mw4d-roadmap/
"The publication of this roadmap is an important milestone for W3C
and all organizations in the field," said Stéphane Boyera, co-chair
of the Mobile Web for Social Development, W3C staff, and program
manager at World Wide Web Foundation. "Although a few success
stories have appeared over the last few years, the potential of the
Web and mobile technologies remains largely untapped. Our
expectation is that through this survey, and by bringing
stakeholders together around it, we can finally lower the most
significant barriers to access for these communities."
The roadmap was published by the [6]Mobile Web for Social
Development Interest Group, part of the [7]W3C Mobile Web Initiative
(MWI).
[6] http://www.w3.org/2008/MW4D/
[7] http://www.w3.org/Mobile/
Roadmap Identifies Technology and Content Gaps
The Mobile Web For Social Development Roadmap identifies two major
challenges:
1. barriers to Web access faced by underprivileged communities in
developing countries
2. barriers to authoring and deploying Web content, and accessing
information, applications, and services on mobile phones.
The roadmap first identifies the profile, needs, and requirements of
people living in underprivileged communities, and the current
technology gaps that prevent them to access and use Web content and
services on mobile. Barriers include illiteracy, accessibility,
languages, and Web inexperience. The roadmap authors recommend the
development of new standards and guidelines for creating make
illiterate-accessible Web content and for supporting more languages
on the Web. They also suggest investigating how technologies such as
Widgets can make it easier to find and use new mobile Web content
and services.
Barriers for authoring Web content matter as well. One important
reason people in developing countries are not using the Web as much
as they might is the lack of relevant local content and services.
There is great potential for those people and organizations already
working in the field (NGOs, civil society organizations, and
development agencies) to provide new content and services. The
roadmap indicates that to help promote the creation of relevant
content, it is important to build capacity, raise awareness, and
develop the right tools.
Success Requires a Concerted Effort from All Stakeholders
This roadmap provides a vision for achieving the full potential of
the Web and mobile devices as tools for social and economic
development. The [8]Mobile Web for Social Development Interest Group
recognizes that, to be successful, a variety of stakeholders must
work together, including mobile operators and handset manufacturers,
researchers, and individuals and organizations working in the field.
The roadmap authors recommend actions for these various
stakeholders, including:
* for network operators, quickly developing and expanding mobile
data services;
* for handset manufacturers, supporting GPRS, J2ME, or
text-to-speech on handsets;
* for policy-makers, developing policy frameworks that enforce
availability of minimal data service at low-cost everywhere, or
that make it easier for authors and entrepreneurs to provide
content and services.
[8] http://www.w3.org/2008/MW4D/
The W3C intends to continue to provide a forum for these parties to
meet and fulfill the vision set forth in the document.
About the World Wide Web Consortium [W3C]
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international consortium
where Member organizations, a full-time staff, and the public work
together to develop Web standards. W3C primarily pursues its mission
through the creation of Web standards and guidelines designed to
ensure long-term growth for the Web. Over 350 organizations are
Members of the Consortium. W3C is jointly run by the [9]MIT Computer
Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (MIT CSAIL) in the
USA, the [10]European Research Consortium for Informatics and
Mathematics (ERCIM) headquartered in France and [11]Keio University
in Japan, and has additional [12]Offices worldwide. For more
information see [13]http://www.w3.org
[9] http://www.csail.mit.edu/
[10] http://www.ercim.org/
[11] http://www.keio.ac.jp/
[12] http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Offices/
[13] http://www.w3.org/
Media Contacts
Contact Americas, Australia —
Ian Jacobs, <[14]ij@w3.org>, +1.718.260.9447 or
+1.617.253.2613
[14] mailto:ij@w3.org
Contact Europe, Africa and the Middle East —
Marie-Claire Forgue, <[15]mcf@w3.org>, +33 6 76 86 33 41
[15] mailto:mcf@w3.org
Contact Asia —
Naoko Ishikura, <[16]keio-contact@w3.org>, +81.466.49.1170
[16] mailto:keio-contact@w3.org
--
Ian Jacobs (ij@w3.org) http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs/
Tel: +1 718 260 9447
Received on Tuesday, 8 December 2009 19:59:24 UTC