Cuba Aspires to Create Their Own Twitter

Cuba Aspires to Create Their Own Twitter / Daniel Benitez
Posted on November 1, 2013

With the goal of expanding access and governmental control of social
networks, computer scientists are working to create a microblogging
service, modeled after Twitter, for Cuban nationals on the network .cu

According to Kirenia Fagundo, named as leader of the project CubaVa,
"Pitazo" is the name of this cyber initiative which will allow network
users to exchange short phrases, individual images, or video links.

The information was disclosed by the official Cuban Agency for News and
Information and is in keeping with efforts the Island has undertaken to
present an image of openness toward internet use and social networks.

Since last June, a total of 118 internet locations are available
throughout the country for public access to the internet with the aim of
expanding the number of service locations and hours. However, these
operations continue to be controlled by the State monopoly ETECSA and
the Minister of Information and Communications (MIC) through the server
Nauta to which is added the high cost of connecting. The browser with
plenty of access to the network costs of 4.50 CUCs per hour.

Numerous Cuban users of Twitter are part of what's called "the swarm":
those members of the media and official institutions who have integrated
themselves using false profiles to carry out the "battle of ideas" on
the internet.

Constructing the Store

In addition to Pitazo, the group CubaVa will launch a digital site with
the suggestive name El Estanquillo which will apparently post national
and international press articles.

In September some Cubans became the first users of a platform of blogs
called Reflejos which contains 275 personal pages.

Meanwhile, for the great majority of Cubans, Facebook, Twitter,
Instagram and other well-known applications are only news that are
difficult to access and at a cost prohibited by their pockets and options.

In a report by the organization Freedom House regarding internet freedom
in 2013, Cuban ranks among the worst countries in the world in terms of
connectivity and one with immense government regulation.

In Cuba, which has a population of 11.2 million people, 15% are reported
connected to the internet according to official statistics. But, this
figure includes those who access only email or the State internet system
without the ability to freely navigate the internet.

The last report from the National Office of Statistics (ONEI) indicated
that in Cuba there are only 74 computers for every 1,000 inhabitants.
ETECSA has promised to deliver internet access to Cuban homes in 2014.

From Cafefuerte

October 23, 2013

Translated by: Marlene Temes

Source: "Cuba Aspires to Create Their Own Twitter / Daniel Benitez |
Translating Cuba" -
http://translatingcuba.com/cuba-aspires-to-create-their-own-twitter-daniel-benitez/