W3C hopes mobile will bring internet to the masses

A new working group hopes to solve digital divide problems

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is inviting interested parties to take part in a new group established to try to help tackle the digital divide issue.

The Mobile Web for Social Development (MW4D) interest group will look into whether rural communities so far denied good web access could benefit from an increased use, and breadth, of mobile technologies.

"Study after study has highlighted the positive impact of mobile technologies in developing countries," said Ken Banks, co-Chair of the MW4D Interest Group and founder of kiwanja.net.

"Mobiles are opening up financial services to the poor, creating employment opportunities, and providing access to health care and valuable information services. We do need to solve important challenges such as lack of standards in end-user
devices, network constraints, service cost, issues of literacy, and an understanding of the real information needs of rural communities. To do so requires an multidisciplinary approach, a step we take through the creation of this new group."