South Korea introduces universal basic mobile data access

Post by SecretDreams » Sat, Apr 11, 2026, 11:34 PM UTC

Terr_ wrote: post #90

Terr_ wrote: post #67

To quote something from a favorite fiction-series, where someone is visiting a relatively backwards planet: > "Poor?" said Cordelia, bewildered. "No electricity? How can it be on the comm network?" > "It's not, of course," answered Vorkosigan. > "Then how can anybody get their schooling?" > "They don't." > Cordelia stared. "I don't understand. How do they get their jobs?" > "A few escape to the Service. The rest prey…

To turn to other, much older publications... The US Constitution was written ~230 year ago, when the state of the art was carrying letters by horse, and it explicitly authorized making a public service to provide it scale, which became the US Postal Service. If the same ideals and priorities had been applied against today's technology, we'd have the US Networking Service. Certainly not a deluxe ISP (even today USPS e…

Post by apublicfrog » Sun, Apr 12, 2026, 12:14 AM UTC

themafia wrote: post #75

HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's like saying that using tax dollars to pay for roads assumes that everyone has a car. MOST people do use things like government/taxpayer funded roads, public transportation, water, healthcare, etc that are considered as basic necessities. As far as everyone needing a smartphone, or e-mail address, that ship has already sailed. Here in the US, try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone.

> that ship has already sailed "Tell me what you eat and I'll tell you what you are." Anyways, if you actually just say, "I don't have a smartphone" you'll be surprised at how accommodating the world remains. > try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone Okay: https://support.parkmobile.io/hc/en-us/articles/368547636077... Was that supposed to be impossible?

Post by cawksuwcka » Sun, Apr 12, 2026, 12:31 AM UTC

Post by philipallstar » Sun, Apr 12, 2026, 12:36 AM UTC

HarHarVeryFunny wrote: post #20

everdrive wrote: post #11

Seems nice but is actually a terrible move. It's another step towards the presumption that everyone should have a smartphone.

That's like saying that using tax dollars to pay for roads assumes that everyone has a car. MOST people do use things like government/taxpayer funded roads, public transportation, water, healthcare, etc that are considered as basic necessities. As far as everyone needing a smartphone, or e-mail address, that ship has already sailed. Here in the US, try using "Parkmobile" without a mobile phone.

Post by usr1106 » Sun, Apr 12, 2026, 1:27 AM UTC

mattjoyce wrote: post #81

sugarkjube wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> But given how essential the internet is to everything we do on a daily basis, that makes a lot of sense. Well, water is certainly more essential, yet it isn't free. Food isn't free. Shelter isn't free. Besides, the services you'd use over this free connection aren't (necessarily) free. Its not unreasonable to suspect some other agenda, like easier propaganda, subsidising of social media, ...

Maybe the reduction in gov paper forms printing and processing, offset the mobile costs.