Spatial Computing - Lai Yi Ohlsen - How Tall is the Internet?

Lai Yi Ohlsen argues that internet measurement data, though rigorous, cannot by itself explain why problems like censorship and the digital divide arise, and should be combined with analysis from other disciplines. The essay points to the FCC's Broadband Data Collection program, which relies on self-reported ISP data, and to the 42 million Americans it says lack sufficient access, a figure that other estimates place at 14.6 million. It also cites Access Now's #keepiton coalition, which recorded eighty internet shutdowns in fourteen countries in the first half of 2023. The essay further argues that internet maps and measurements should be dynamic and longitudinal rather than static snapshots.