Abstract
This chapter examines the public actions and interventions needed to address the digital inequalities that emerged and became a central issue on the public agenda during the Covid 19 pandemic in Argentina. Specifically, this analysis has a three-fold objective: (a) to give an overview of the status of connectivity services in the country, in the broader context of Latin America; (b) to consider public initiatives taken between March 2020 and December 2021 in terms of connectivity services and internet access; (c) to provide insights regarding public policies implemented in a pandemic context, taking into account how digital transformations have disrupted traditional systems of work, education, domestic lives, and methods of communicating. It explores the extent to which the public actions have helped to cope with the online activities of everyday life.
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Notes
- 1.
The estimated population as of July 1, 2022 is 46,234,830 million inhabitants, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census of Argentina. Source: https://www.indec.gob.ar/ Consulted: 02/15/2022.
- 2.
This last announcement had not yet been implemented at the time of closing of this chapter, so its impact could be evaluated in future investigations.
- 3.
This was expressed by companies Claro, Telefónica, Telecom, Telecentro, DirectTV, AmCham (United States Chamber of Commerce), CCAC (Argentine-Canadian Chamber of Commerce), Argentine-Finnish Chamber of Commerce, Italian Chamber of Commerce, CICOMRA, GSMA, ASIET, ATVC, CACPY (Argentine Chamber of SME Cable Operators), Huawei, Express, Red Intercable and SION, in a joint advertorial published in the main newspapers of national circulation in Argentina, in August 2020.
- 4.
At the time of writing this chapter (March 2022), these lawsuits continue with their judicial process.
- 5.
The meeting of the Commission on Systems, Media and Freedom of Expression of the Senate of the Nation, held on 09/29/2021, is available at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeW3uWxxboo.
- 6.
Resolution No. 1467/2020 sets forth, in article 11, that the terms and prices of the Universal and Mandatory Basic Service must “be communicated to the users by the incumbent operators through invoices, their institutional websites and on all the social media and channels through which they communicate with their customers and/or advertise their services,” something that was not fulfilled immediately.
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Califano, B. (2024). Digital Divides and Policy Interventions in a Pandemic World: Issues of Social Inclusion in Argentina. In: Dunn, H.S., Ragnedda, M., Ruiu, M.L., Robinson, L. (eds) The Palgrave Handbook of Everyday Digital Life . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-30438-5_17
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