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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Hi, </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Google / Gmail accounts now use SMS or Voice call verification.
In our region, the Pacific Islands, this effectively is excluding everyone from
creating a new account. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>For example, </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>just </span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>tried
again, to create a Gmail account. </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I</span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>t
just says “</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>this country (</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:
"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Solomon Islands</span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>)</span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> is
not supported” and gives no other option. Looks like a whole country has been
excluded!!!</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Others in the region have told me the same experience –</span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Vanuatu
for instance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>This is a blow because we have been building an online community
for </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>a</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'> Youth project here</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> (<a
href="http://isabel-youth.ning.com">http://isabel-youth.ning.com</a>), using a
Google group as an online “community of practice”.</span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>E</span><span
style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>ven
if SMS verification worked, few of these people have mobile phones, even fewer
of them live in a location with mobile coverage. Most access a shared/community
Internet facility. Voice call verification would not be an option either, for
same reason and also lack of fixed lines in 85% of the country (75% of the
country with no mobile coverage)</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>. As calls into the Solomons
are amongst the highest in the world (it costs over EUR 1 / min to call using a
TOIP service) I can’t imagine voice call verification would be supported
anyway. Google would not be that generous.</span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>I think this is something ISOC might take up with Google. It is
a very backward step, creating barriers to access for the most disadvantaged.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>David Leeming<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Leeming Consulting, P.O. Box 652, Honiara, Solomon Islands<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=DE style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Tel: +677 747-6396 (m) 24419 (h) <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span lang=DE style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>www.leeming-consulting.com<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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