The Facebook-Loving Farmers of Myanmar

by robinsloanon 1/21/2016, 4:44 PMwith 6 comments

by robinsloanon 1/21/2016, 4:45 PM

How people actually use technology, part XXXIV:

> But Facebook is most popular? Yes. Everyone wants? Everyone. Do people have email addresses? No. He makes the email addresses. Has a stack of pre-made Facebook accounts at the ready. He pre-installs the app and pre-loads friends. Facebook is for news, he says. Popular now but maybe not popular in six months. But for now, he installs it on every phone.

Furthermore:

> The Farmers don’t use their real names (“I used my son’s name,” Farmer fourteen told us. Why? “Because it’s a good name!” he said smiling and patting his 1-year-old son on the head.) They don’t have email addresses and so often don’t know their logins. If they get logged out they have someone—often the village Facebook guru—make them a new account.

:-O

by msoadon 1/23/2016, 11:19 PM

They buy data in 25MB packages and we put a 3x icon in the app that is like 2MB! I'm feeling guilty for ignoring people with such limited access to data when I make apps and websites! :(

by ZoeZoeBeeon 1/24/2016, 12:43 AM

You most likely know it as Myanmar, but it will always be Burma to me. Bonne chance, Elaine. You there on the motorbike! Sell me one of your melons!