We present a study of Internet use and its forced non-use in Bangladesh. In light of current initiatives on state and industry actors to improve Internet access and bridge the 'digital divide' for underserved, under-resourced, and under-represented communities across the world, we offer a situated, qualitative perspective on what the current state of Internet use looks like for select social groups in Bangladesh. We analyze how a state-imposed ban attempted to effect the non-use of particular web-based services and how the affected populations found or did not find workarounds in response. We also discuss takeaways for researchers as well as industry and state actors studying and working towards more equitable access to the Internet in the 'developing' world.
In the TanDEm lab, we focus on matters relating to the design, deployment, adoption, and use of technologies towards empowerment - of underserved and under-represented communities in resource-constrained regions across the world.
