Restricting Access: The Curious Case of “Step-Up” Apps and Platforms in India
摘要
This chapter employs the concept of the digital divide to illustrate how first-time internet users in India actively reshape technology. By integrating digital divide issues into HCI studies, it explores how these users figuratively “leap” to tame the internet’s inherent mechanics and logic—systems historically designed without considering those at the margins. In doing so, the chapter highlights the importance of “step-up apps” as tools that help new users transition from novice to adept, effectively serving as a finishing school for digital migrants.