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The Smartphone Changed the Refugee Crisis

32 points by kawera 11y ago

ck2 11y ago
Confiscating a refugee's smartphone seem cruel. But also, given the sheer number of people with them there, that has to be millions of dollars in smartphones. Strange. I'm also curious what they are going to do with the tens of thousands of life-jackets you can see piled on the shores.
- ceejayoz 11y ago
  Why strange? After food, water and clothing, they're probably the most useful thing a refugee could hold on to. Maps. Contact with loved ones. Googling for refugee resources. Live translation. Banking with a prepaid card.
rbalicki 11y ago
For ease of access, the links to the conference and tech mentioned in the article are http://www.techfugees.com/ http://www.techfugees.com/ and http://www.geecycle.org/ http://www.geecycle.org/
desireco42 11y ago
Smartphone is no longer a luxury and that is very hard to comprehend for many people. For these people it is essential, to get updates, be in touch with their relatives, coordinate. I am originally from Serbia, and I am happy that Serbia turned out as very hospitable for refugees passing through(unlike many of our neighbours to their shame), yet many have asked, who are these people who are seemingly well dressed and with smartphones, where are they heading, what are they running away from? Very hard to explain especially to older people. They can't distinguish refugees from those who they are running away from (Isis). Also, western media calling them 'migrants' didn't help much and confused situation more.
- ceejayoz 11y ago
  Plus, these folks weren't always refugees. Just a few years ago they were doctors, lawyers, farmers, teachers, etc. with the means to buy stuff. This attitude in the West of "they can't be poor/vulnerable/in-danger, they have a phone" is just silly.
- amalag 11y ago
  There are many migrants as well.
deleted 11y ago
[deleted]
jmnicolas 11y ago
> In October, Google launched Crisis Info Hub, an effort to open source many of the tools refugees use and optimize the information so everything runs lightly on a phone. So far it only offers logistical information for the Greek island of Lesbos, the primary entry point for those going on to Europe. Google is calling upon volunteers to expand the number of locations included in the hub. Why an American tech company is helping millions people to come to Europe where the countries are over burdened by this mass migration ? There's already not enough jobs for the local population (France lost 1500 jobs every day in November), what are we going to do with them ? How many is enough, how many is too much ? I don't think Europe can save everybody. But never mind : the "generous and kind hearted" activists of various NGO have decided to be generous in my name. If they want to do charity, fine, but not in my name. There's already enough poverty here that we can't tackle, let's not import some more. Let's be lucid here, apart from a few success stories that the media will jump on, 95% of these migrants have a bleak future here. Check the 'Calais Jungle' if you want to see what we have to offer once Google has guided them here. Maybe Google should give us some funds to accommodate them in better conditions instead of thinking software is a solution to every problem.
- ManuelKiessling 11y ago
  > where the countries are over burdened by this mass migration Overburdened? We throw away half of our food and flush our shit with fresh drinking water. Overburdened? You must be kidding me!
ape4 11y ago
They need internet too.

32 points by kawera 11y ago

ck2 11y ago

Confiscating a refugee's smartphone seem cruel. But also, given the sheer number of people with them there, that has to be millions of dollars in smartphones. Strange. I'm also curious what they are going to do with the tens of thousands of life-jackets you can see piled on the shores.

ceejayoz 11y ago
Why strange? After food, water and clothing, they're probably the most useful thing a refugee could hold on to. Maps. Contact with loved ones. Googling for refugee resources. Live translation. Banking with a prepaid card.

rbalicki 11y ago

For ease of access, the links to the conference and tech mentioned in the article are http://www.techfugees.com/ http://www.techfugees.com/ and http://www.geecycle.org/ http://www.geecycle.org/

desireco42 11y ago

Smartphone is no longer a luxury and that is very hard to comprehend for many people. For these people it is essential, to get updates, be in touch with their relatives, coordinate. I am originally from Serbia, and I am happy that Serbia turned out as very hospitable for refugees passing through(unlike many of our neighbours to their shame), yet many have asked, who are these people who are seemingly well dressed and with smartphones, where are they heading, what are they running away from? Very hard to explain especially to older people. They can't distinguish refugees from those who they are running away from (Isis). Also, western media calling them 'migrants' didn't help much and confused situation more.

ceejayoz 11y ago
Plus, these folks weren't always refugees. Just a few years ago they were doctors, lawyers, farmers, teachers, etc. with the means to buy stuff. This attitude in the West of "they can't be poor/vulnerable/in-danger, they have a phone" is just silly.
amalag 11y ago
There are many migrants as well.

deleted 11y ago

[deleted]

jmnicolas 11y ago

> In October, Google launched Crisis Info Hub, an effort to open source many of the tools refugees use and optimize the information so everything runs lightly on a phone. So far it only offers logistical information for the Greek island of Lesbos, the primary entry point for those going on to Europe. Google is calling upon volunteers to expand the number of locations included in the hub. Why an American tech company is helping millions people to come to Europe where the countries are over burdened by this mass migration ? There's already not enough jobs for the local population (France lost 1500 jobs every day in November), what are we going to do with them ? How many is enough, how many is too much ? I don't think Europe can save everybody. But never mind : the "generous and kind hearted" activists of various NGO have decided to be generous in my name. If they want to do charity, fine, but not in my name. There's already enough poverty here that we can't tackle, let's not import some more. Let's be lucid here, apart from a few success stories that the media will jump on, 95% of these migrants have a bleak future here. Check the 'Calais Jungle' if you want to see what we have to offer once Google has guided them here. Maybe Google should give us some funds to accommodate them in better conditions instead of thinking software is a solution to every problem.

ManuelKiessling 11y ago
> where the countries are over burdened by this mass migration Overburdened? We throw away half of our food and flush our shit with fresh drinking water. Overburdened? You must be kidding me!

ape4 11y ago

They need internet too.