Data Stories: Global Technology Trends and Smartphone Use
Explore the digital divide between countries at different income levels, understand Internet growth in America, and find out how long it takes to read terms and conditions for smartphone apps.
- By Lindsay Stares
- February 1, 2017
The Global Digital Divide
This in-depth piece from SciDev.Net explores the digital divide across the world. The large interactive chart at the heart of the piece shows how Internet access has grown in different countries between 1986 and 2013. The article also includes descriptions of several initiatives that are using technology to provide new services to low-income regions.
Technology Trends in the U.S.
Meanwhile, new polling by Pew Research shows that more Americans are online than ever before. Three-quarters of Americans own a smartphone and half own a tablet.
Do You Read the Terms and Conditions for the Apps on Your Phone?
A group from the Norwegian Consumer Council attempted to prove a point last year by reading aloud the terms and conditions for 33 popular smartphone apps. It took them more than 31 hours. The council explained that currently, reading all the terms is an “impossible task,” so service providers should help consumers make better decisions by providing terms that are concise and clear.
About the Author
Lindsay Stares is a production editor at TDWI. You can contact her here.