by Emilia Clarke, beloved for her portrayal of Daenerys Targaryen on the hit HBO series Game of Thrones, recently spoke out about the frustrations of navigating today’s digital landscape. In a series of interviews, Clarke highlighted the unreliable connectivity and slow speeds that plague much of the world’s internet infrastructure. She called for improvements, emphasizing the importance of reliable internet access as a human right. As a fan of Clarke both on-screen and off, I strongly agree with her stance. The struggles she cites reflect the real and ongoing challenges billions face in trying to access the digital world.
While many of us in developed countries now take robust internet access for granted, the reality is that billions worldwide still lack stable connections capable of supporting even basic online tasks. From difficulty accessing education and healthcare to lost economic opportunities, the implications are profound. COVID-19 further highlighted the critical nature of internet access. Yet change remains slow. I applaud Clarke for leveraging her platform to draw attention to this pressing issue. The world needs more voices calling for change.
Clarke Describes Frustrations Navigating an Underdeveloped Digital Landscape
In a series of recent interviews, Clarke opened up about her firsthand frustrations trying to connect online. “It drives me crazy dealing with slow speeds and dropped connections,” she stated in one interview. “I rely on the internet for nearly everything, as I think most people do these days. But it often feels like you’re at the mercy of bad infrastructure. It really impacts what you can do.”
Clarke described wanting to further her education and access resources online, only to struggle with even loading basic web pages. She also discussed the professional impacts, like difficulty conducting interviews over low-quality video chat connections. “It really limits my ability to do my job. And I know I’m luckier than most with more reliable access. I can’t imagine what it’s like for people with no access or only a cell phone to rely on,” she said.
In another interview, she highlighted the educational impacts for children unable to get online. “So much learning now involves internet research and online classes,” Clarke noted. “If kids can’t access that, it puts them at an incredible disadvantage, furthering inequality. That’s really upsetting.”
Clarke succinctly summed up the issue in saying: “The world runs on the internet these days. If your connection is shaky or non-existent, you’re left out of so much. That impacts people’s lives in really profound ways.”
For anyone trying to live and work in a digital world, Clarke’s words ring true. Unreliable speeds, high costs, and lack of access continue to plague much of the world. While the spotlight often focuses on expanding access, the quality of existing infrastructure also demands attention. Clarke gives voice to millions frustrated by antiquated systems unable to meet today’s digital demands.
Clarke Calls for Internet Infrastructure Improvements, Citing Human Rights Impacts
Never one to point out problems without solutions, Clarke called for tangible improvements in internet infrastructure worldwide. “Connecting people should be a top priority,” she argued. “Internet access needs to be treated like a basic human right.” She referenced the United Nations declaration that disconnecting people from the internet violates human rights.
Clarke appealed for governments and companies to view internet infrastructure as a public good requiring investment. “We have to fund the technologies that will allow everyone reliable access, at speeds that actually enable full participation online,” she said. Clarke suggested renewable energy initiatives could help make internet access more affordable and reliable in developing regions.
She also believes companies like SpaceX, focused on expanding access via satellite constellations, are on the right track. “People are working on solutions—that’s encouraging,” Clarke noted. “But we need the political will and public pressure to scale and implement them. This issue needs far more attention.”
According to Clarke, the COVID-19 pandemic made the consequences of limited internet access undeniable. As work, education, healthcare, and more moved online over the last two years, reliable high-speed internet became even more essential. But as Clarke noted, “The infrastructure in many places just isn’t up to par.” She argued the pandemic should be a wake-up call prompting large-scale improvements.
“This is about fairness and human rights,” Clarke concluded. “We need to do better.” I could not agree more strongly. With her global platform, Clarke is absolutely right to call out this issue and advocate for change.
The Stark Digital Divide: Billions Yet Unable to Fully Access the Internet
Clarke’s critiques reflect the harsh reality that billions worldwide remain without the internet access that many of us now take for granted.
Statistics paint a sobering picture:
- Roughly 4.9 billion people, about 63% of the world’s population, actively use the internet as of 2021, according to estimates by DataReportal. That means 37% remain entirely disconnected.
- Further, many of those with access face ongoing challenges: about 2.9 billion people lack broadband connections high-speed enough for basic functionality like video streaming.
- The International Telecommunication Union reports 96% of people in developed countries have basic internet access, compared to only 47% in developing countries. The gaps persist and demand attention.
From remote villages to urban centers, people face a myriad of barriers:
- Lack of Infrastructure – Many developing regions lack the physical internet infrastructure like fiber optic cables and cell towers. Remote, rural areas are hardest hit.
- Poverty – Billions live in poverty, making even basic mobile data plans unaffordable.
- Government Restrictions – Some repressive regimes impose restrictions on internet access to control information flows.
- Gender Inequality – Across the developing world, women’s internet usage lags well behind men’s, limiting access to information, education, and economic opportunity.
- Limited Electricity – Unreliable electricity service leaves many dependent on diesel generators with limited runtimes, unable to power consistent internet access.
- Lack of Relevant Content – Much web content remains concentrated in English and a handful of other languages, with less reflecting local languages and cultures.
The consequences of disconnection or substandard access are profound:
- Education – Students are unable to access online learning tools and materials, falling behind peers in other countries.
- Healthcare – Patients cannot take advantage of telemedicine, online health resources, and appointment scheduling.
- Economic Opportunity – People miss out on digital financial tools as well as opportunities in the tech sector and online freelancing.
- Communication – People are unable to stay in touch with distant friends and family electronically.
- Public Services – Important government resources and documents remain inaccessible.
- Software Tools – People lack access to software that could open new opportunities.
Connectivity issues also acutely impact marginalized communities worldwide, including:
- Rural populations
- Low-income groups
- Girls and women
- Racial and ethnic minorities
- LGBTQ individuals
- People with disabilities
- Elderly populations
- Indigenous communities
Limited access prevents these groups from connecting to essential resources and opportunities available online, further excluding them.
Clarke rightly argues that being disconnected today increasingly means being left out of crucial aspects of society, culture, politics, and the economy. With digital transformation accelerating, action to address gaps in internet infrastructure remains urgent and overdue.
The Pandemic Highlighted the Critical Nature of Internet Access
As Emilia Clarke noted, the COVID-19 pandemic made the crucial nature of internet connectivity undeniable. With work, education, healthcare, and more moving largely online over the last two years, the gaps in infrastructure became even more glaring.
Consider these snapshots of how the pandemic highlighted the importance of internet access:
- Remote Work – As office workers shifted to remote work, reliable high-speed internet suddenly became mission-critical. Yet many companies found their infrastructure sorely lacking, struggling to handle the transition.
- Distance Learning – With 1.6 billion students out of school at the pandemic’s height, remote learning was the only option. But limited access prevented many of the world’s children from continuing their studies online.
- Telehealth – Telemedicine emerged as a vital resource, allowing patients to access healthcare while avoiding virus exposure. But those without solid connectivity were often unable to take advantage of remote appointments and monitoring.
- Government Aid – Agencies relied on the internet to disseminate vital information and resources. Those offline had difficulty learning about and applying for unemployment, small business aid, housing relief, and other crucial programs.
- Social Isolation – With in-person activities curtailed, digital connections took on heightened importance for combating social isolation. But the disconnected were left struggling with loneliness and depression.
- Misinformation – As conspiracies and falsehoods about COVID spread across social media, the world saw the real dangers posed by viral misinformation. Yet fact-checking and accessing good information remained difficult for many.
Report after report has highlighted those left behind due to poor internet access during COVID-19: school children, the elderly, rural populations, marginalized urban communities, developing nations. The pre-existing gaps only widened.
While vaccination rollouts and revised policies are easing the pandemic crisis, it illuminated problems that persist. The rapid digital transformation experienced makes ongoing infrastructure improvements all the more pressing.
Technology Leaders Have Begun Implementing Solutions, But More Progress Needed
Many companies and organizations are working diligently on solutions that may help bridge internet infrastructure gaps in the years ahead. But continued innovation and implementation remains critical.
Some key initiatives seeking to improve access include:
- SpaceX Starlink – Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture aims to use a growing constellation of low orbit satellites to beam broadband worldwide. It’s showing promising speeds, but needs many more satellites. Reliability issues and weather impacts remain a concern.
- Project Loon – Google’s balloon-powered internet project worked to bring connectivity to remote areas. But balloons proved more difficult to control and maintain than hoped, and Google shut the project down in 2021. Still, the concept shows promise.
- Internet.org – Mark Zuckerberg’s Facebook-led initiative worked with mobile carriers to offer free basic internet services in developing nations via apps. But the service was limited to only certain sites, raising net neutrality concerns.
- BRCK – This Kenyan startup produces rugged WiFi hotspots powered by SIM cards, batteries, or hydrogen fuel cells specifically designed for use in challenging environments like rural Africa. Early results are promising for remote access.
- Tizeti – This Nigerian ISP uses solar-powered WiFi towers to provide unlimited public WiFi internet in Lagos, Port Harcourt, and other cities for just $5 a month. The service is garnering widespread use.
- OneWeb – A fleet of LEO satellites aims to provide global low-latency broadband by late 2022. After a bankruptcy, OneWeb aims to resume launches soon under new owner Bharti Aet. But costs remain high.
- Microsoft Airband – A five-year initiative by Microsoft aims to use TV white space spectrum, solar power, and other technologies to deliver rural broadband access beginning in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa.
- Local ISPs – Smaller local ISPs are emerging across Africa, Asia, and Latin America using wireless tech, whistly fiber, and other infrastructure tailored to local contexts. These hyper-local solutions show promise and deserve support.
Clarke is right that growing interest from tech giants offers encouraging signs of progress. But efforts need to be accelerated, scaled up globally, and supplemented by policy shifts that enable infrastructure improvements.
LET’S AMPLIFY CLARKE’S CALL TO ACTION
The gaps in internet access and infrastructure highlighted by Emilia Clarke point to an issue deserving far more urgency worldwide.
Closing these gaps will require cooperation between policymakers establishing frameworks, companies developing technologies, governments and NGOs funding access, and local leaders tailoring solutions to community contexts.
Most importantly, ordinary citizens need to amplify the call for better infrastructure. We all must advocate for the billions worldwide still living offline, making this a priority issue.
Clarke lends invaluable voice to this effort. We need more high-profile figures to join her in demanding change. The media industry must elevate this topic in reporting and entertainment. Politicians must address it in policy agendas. Business leaders need to assert their support.
And each of us should seize everyday opportunities to raise this issue locally and on social media. Have a conversation, share an article, contact your representatives – take small steps that together can shift momentum.
The world embraces digital transformation with gusto. But little urgency exists to bring so many still offline along. With Clarke’s courageous voice joined by chorus of others, we can drive action toward a future where internet access is truly universal. The need could not be greater, and the time could not be more right.
