UNDP: Internet penetration level in Maghreb reaches 2.5%
2007-10-22
Internet penetration in the countries of the Maghreb, in terms of users as a percentage of the population, is estimated at 2.5%, Algerian press quoted United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) expert Najat Rochdi as saying on Sunday (October 21st) in Algiers. The highest rate was seen in Morocco (14.36%), followed by Algeria (5.33%), Tunisia (3.46%), Libya (3.62%) and Mauritania (0.47%). The figures were presented at an international conference on ICT training.
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mounir rekkab Posted 2007-10-24
By God my Arab sister we Arabs don't have standards with which to determine percentages, so everything that is related to figures is a temporary myth, as long as international standards are far away from us, we Arabs will remain underdeveloped. I think that the rate indicated by Mrs Najat whom I respect so much is just a prediction and the article you wrote is just words. I've attended the meeting, my comments about what the minister said will be shown with time, they were decided by those who have devious minds, sorry, Arab officials in general. My lady, you should have taken the topic seriously and tackle it without fear. Sorry- an activist from Algeria.
Lize Posted 2007-10-25
What about "actual use" as opposed to "penetration" ? How would "real use" be determined, except by "actual monitoring" ?! And, what about internet cafe use ? Self-use reporting would not be reliable, either. Whatever the case may be, I think the activist from Algeria is correct to an extent, and the perspective may be applied to ANY and ALL "statistical reporting": statistics - numbers - can ALWAYS be manipulated by any power wishing to manipulate them or to cast an issue in a particular light (especially, as "evidence" or "proof," whether an issue is publicly perceived as "positive" or "negative"). Reported numbers are: (1) pseudo-scientific, no matter the exponential logic based on quantity of survey information received, in that the responding informants are NOT representative of every user; and, because of rapid change, defying so-called "trends," combined with a human tendency to fictionalize, instead of fact-make, (2) "temporary myths," indeed. While we readers cannot blame a reporter for passing on available information, it is true that news reports COULD delve into the underlying issues that produce an apparent need for statistics, or for a given topic ! To me, it seems that one "message" in this little news bite may be a showing of a perceived comparative, general progress among the Maghreb countries, themselves (though completely non-specific, especially in consideration of the quantity of inhabitants in each country). And, what may we infer, if THAT should be the case ?! And, why are these statistics important information for the conference on ICT training ?! Have I missed the story on the conference ? Maybe a good rule for reading (or, writing) news accounts, anywhere and everywhere, is to always ask, "What is 'the rest of the story' ?"
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