Mobile communities in Cambodia
It is oftentimes illuminating to consider the structure of natural mobile communities and mobile group behavior before considering creating new technologically-mediated communities.
An interesting example of a mobile community is the cyclo drivers in Cambodia. When I was there the easiest mode of transit was motorbikes, but cyclos are very common there and in Vietnam. Many of these riders sleep directly in the cyclo (a three wheeled carriage. usually with a bike in back or front).
Many things use social networks, and one of these is AIDS. The virus transmits along social lines and the small world network structure means the distance between an uninfected person and an infected person may only be a few network hops away. Mobility of these networks is not fully understood yet, but mobile nodes may have more links than non-mobile nodes due to increased social opportunities. Cyclo drives are in the business of being mobile and often don't have homes to return to or spend consistent time at. Consequently this news story is looking at targeting these people for safe-sex education and propagating condom memes through their social networks by getting their own members to pass them on. Its a viral meme propagation strategy to combat a virus.
So anyway, what does this have to do with mobile device design? I think there's a lot to be learned about how information flows in these social networks and how mobility of the nodes affects it and the community development.
“We have found that these men are a mobile population who don’t permanently stay in one place,” said the program organizer, Song Ngak.
“They come into the city after the harvest is over when they have no job. They don’t bring their families and so often they have sex outside of marriage. It is when people are away from home that they are most susceptible to HIV/AIDS.”
Cambodia cyclo riders peddle safe-sex message html
An interesting example of a mobile community is the cyclo drivers in Cambodia. When I was there the easiest mode of transit was motorbikes, but cyclos are very common there and in Vietnam. Many of these riders sleep directly in the cyclo (a three wheeled carriage. usually with a bike in back or front).
Many things use social networks, and one of these is AIDS. The virus transmits along social lines and the small world network structure means the distance between an uninfected person and an infected person may only be a few network hops away. Mobility of these networks is not fully understood yet, but mobile nodes may have more links than non-mobile nodes due to increased social opportunities. Cyclo drives are in the business of being mobile and often don't have homes to return to or spend consistent time at. Consequently this news story is looking at targeting these people for safe-sex education and propagating condom memes through their social networks by getting their own members to pass them on. Its a viral meme propagation strategy to combat a virus.
So anyway, what does this have to do with mobile device design? I think there's a lot to be learned about how information flows in these social networks and how mobility of the nodes affects it and the community development.
“We have found that these men are a mobile population who don’t permanently stay in one place,” said the program organizer, Song Ngak.
“They come into the city after the harvest is over when they have no job. They don’t bring their families and so often they have sex outside of marriage. It is when people are away from home that they are most susceptible to HIV/AIDS.”
Cambodia cyclo riders peddle safe-sex message html
posted by axup at 11:09 PM
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