Sergio Amadeu da Silveira - Cidadania e Redes Digitais

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c i t i z e n s h i p a n d d i g i t a l n e t w o r k s
the center of this policy. And thirdly, the issue of sustainability.
These three aspects have been faced differently. The issue of Internet access,
which conflicted with the technological barrier, has been overcome by the wireless
transmission technology. With systems that use satellite and wireless transmission
over long distances, the myth that local digital communication systems should be
restricted to the scope of operation of large telecommunications companies is broken
down. Local digital communication systems appear, which are experiments now
carried out in communities and municipalities.
The scope issue is directly tied to the concept used in specific public policy of
digital inclusion. When working with digital inclusion from Internet access point,
telecenters have given access for public policies and NGOs to act. Overcoming the
perspective of basic computing education as Internet access only, it has advanced to
the joint development of content along with local development point of view.
Thus, telecenters become an integration center for several kinds of work - from
family businesses to self-employment — in a new way of intervention, locally arranged:
by building economic linkages both horizontally and vertically; by constituting
a territorial service network as a flexible and decentralized system; constituting
a place of interaction and dialogue among the different economic and social
partners through our information and communication technology.
Telecenters turned to actual community development agencies or social economy
development centers by providing services to the community, by supporting
existing projects or developing it. As an insurgent right, telecenters had been constituted
in the reference area for combating digital exclusion considered as unequal
access to new information and communication technologies.
The public policy of digital inclusion incorporated telecenters in response to the
access issue in low income areas. Governments have tried to create incentives and
offer public subsidies for traditional operators to cover the difference between rates.
The conventional response of subsidies doesn’t allow working on a large scale.
Therefore, the scope and dimension of telecenters were limited by the ability of
government subsidies and by the provision of access points. Telecenters, although
extremely effective tools for reducing the digital divide, eventually characterize actions
focused on certain points with defined coverage areas and territory.
Technological innovation and the technology itself, considered as human
knowledge applied, must be pointed toward social development. It must find ways
that mean social ownership and contribute to overcome inequalities. Such owner-
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