Culture and some unintended consequencies of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in Africa

The explosion of information communication technology (ICT) or computer-mediated communication (CMC) media-either through mobile telephone, Internet, e-mail among others-has allowed for global interconnection. This is often referred to as the global village, as people from rural and remote geographically dispersed areas of the world are now able to connect, communicate, and interact with one another. Nowhere, are these more evident than in some of the developing regions of the world where traditional landline telephones are often out of reach for the average person. However, the advent of cheaper mobile phones and handsets, has allowed for increased access to the digital age as a way to bridge the digital divide-although this does not eradicate it. Interactions via accompanying communication media (e.g., e-mail, Internet networks, and online collaborations) comes with certain challenges that can only be understood when one considers the role of culture from the societal contexts in which these CMC media are being utilized.