New media meets the south: The economic and political effects of new media technology on the developing world

The growing spread of new media is changing how we interact on all levels. Governments and businesses no longer work in the same way they did ten years ago in the developed world and the developing world is running to catch up with these vast changes. New media has had both positive and negative effects. Some argue that technology is widening the gap and making it less accessible for the developing world to enter the global market, while other argue that it is helping speed up development. My argument is concerned with the circular affect that new media is having on the economies of developing countries and how this is affecting their policy, which in turn effects their new media use and production. Issues surrounding the emergence and use of new media and developing countries are explored along with discussion on its' impact on development and the change in international policy. This paper seeks to explain and analyze the positives and negatives that new media brings to both economies and governments in developing nations.